5TORJC 
GR^TDN 




Class ^'._Z_:l 






Copyright N°_ 



COPYRIGHT deposit: 




k :i . 1 



HISTORIC GROTON 



COMPRISING 

Historic and Descriptive Sketches 

PERTAINING TO 

GROTON Heights, Center Groton, Poquonnoc- 

Bridge. Noank, Mystic and 

Old Mystic. Conn. 

BY LOCAL WRITERS 
FULLY AND BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED 



Charles F, Burgess 

Editor and Publisher 

Moosup. Conn 



CI..*, ••^w-'^"^^' 
JUL 24 1909 



Groton Heights, or the Borough of Groton 



By MARY E.. DENISON 




Ri )TOX HEIGHTS or Borough is 
l)eauti fully situated on the river 
Thanies. directly opposite New 
London. Connecticut, with which 
it is connected by a ferry and also 
Irawbridge over which go many trains 

One crossing the river to Groton sees the 
village spread out before him along the banks 
of the river and upon the hills above. There, 
upon the summit, is the tall shaft of the monu- 
ment which commemorates that memorable 
day. Sept. 6. 1781, on which the brave men of 
Groton and vicinity fought for home and 
country in the old fort, whose ramparts lie 
just at the south. Close to the monument is 
the house used for their meetings, and recent- 
ly enlarged by the Anna \\arner Bailey Chap- 
ter of the Daughters of the .\nierican Revolu- 
tion, full of interesting relics. Xear by stands 
the school house, where the children should 
early learn love of honor and of country as 
tliey hear about the heroic Ledyard and lii- 
valiant followers who. caring more for honor 
than for life, pierced with mnny a wound, fell 
"Dead on the Field of Glory." 

North of the school house is our beautiful 
library to which the school boys, more often 
than not of foreign birth, come to see the 
sword of Col. I.edvard or to get a "Story of 
!he Revolution." Here is a fine collection of 
about five thousand books free to any \v!'o 
may care to read. .\ little distance no'tli rf 
the library may be seen the tower of the fine 
new Congre.eational church, which ancient or- 
ganization suffered so at the time of the mn< 
sacrc. Still farther to the north is the Bap 
tist church, the second edifice of the society. 



Just at the foot of the hill on which the Bap- 
tist church is set is the old house in which 
lived the famous "Mother Bailey" after whom 
the local chapter of the D. A. R. is named. A 
few rods north of the "Mother Bailey" house 
stands what is left of the old Congre.gational 
church built in 1834, the third building of that 
society, to which "^ifother Bailey" would 
never come, preferring to walk out to the 
old "black meeting house," about a mile away, 
where she would listen to the robins as they 
sang and hear the frogs croak. 

The pilgrim upon reaching Groton finds 
himself in the business part of the village, 
near the stores and post office. He probably 
sees the trolley, for this is the terminus of the 
Groton and Westerly line. Turning to the 
south he .goes but a short distance before 
reaching the Ebenezer Avery house, now 
marked by a tablet, to which the wounded 
were taken after the battle. At the foot of 
Fort street is the Episcopal church. By this 
street one can go directly into the fort and 
then visit the points of interest which he has 
already seen from the river. 

The town .of Groton of which the borough 
is a part lies between the Thames and Mystic 
rivers and originally extended from Groton 
I^ong Point to the Preston line, until North 
Groton. now Ledyard. separated in 1836, mak- 
ing a large town by itself. Groton now in- 
cludes the Borough. Center Groton. Poquon- 
nock Bridge, Noank and Mystic. The town is 
diversified by high hills, deep valleys, and wide 
plains. Over these once roamed the red man, 
the fierce Pequot. until Capt. Mason and his 
followers on May 26. 1637 "in order to hav<; 
justice on the Indian." took and destroyed the 



4 HISTORIC GROTON 

.strni!,i:;li..UI nf their Chief Sassacu> .m I'eiiuoL |-i)site the eastern spui- of W iiitlin i|i's Xeck 

riiil an.l eiuU-,1 ihe l'e(|n.il imiul;- in iheclo- where was his h.inie lot.- Willi ihe advice 

ny. This shiu,L;hter uf the l'e.|U(its. who were and consent of .Mr. W iiithn.p a .i;rant of land 

so hostile iM the h'.n-lish, h.nk place before lyin- north ..f his was -iven in 1O55 ,.r '50 to 

there were an\ settlements nearer than tiie ddiMinas r.a\ley, whd so. in settled here and 

Coniieclicut ri\er. in 1O44 the Ceneral Couit hecanie a farmer. ( )ther early settlers in that 

of .^[assachnsetts ,L;a\e John Winthrnp. tlic \icinity were the Starrs, L'olvers, Lesters and 

\(.>unL;er, a .^rant of land in the I'equot conn- I'.nddin- ti >ns. It is not easy to find who 

try an.l in Kql, he f.unided .\ew London, of had land at tliat early date in what is now ..nr 

which (iroton was a part, hein-- called the i.oron-h. l.nl Caiit. Samnel t liester, who lo- 

"F.ast .Side." cated in .\ew L.jiidon ahont 1(103. had a .^rant 





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I he land on the west o| the river 
l-orlioiied out to ihe settlers for ih 
loi.s, iheii that on tlu' ea^i f, ,r farnii 

for Ihis imrpo.e. W inlhrop had a fai 
and amoi,.^ ihoM- who h.ad farm-, ar 
there as early as 1O3O were James 
and James Avery, lioih men of no 
conininnilx. The house of ihe l;i 
orii^inal ■■|li\e of the \\erys,- si, 
Inlv, |S.,,|. when it was jmrncl hv 



was hrsl o| land i;i\en liiin m ( ,rolon where I'ort I .ris 

eir home ^vohj and ihe inonnnienl now sian.l. 
"-■ ""' Idle lirsl house 0,1 (iroton Hank was ihat 

'"'•' ';''''■" lielonvni- to ( ary Latham, who had leased 

" ^^'',|.!,'|'„ M Ins dealh in 10S5 he was sncceeded l.y Ins 

1^; ^'^^""ji''', son-ill law. John W illi.inis. of whom Joshna 

,,..,. ,,,.. Hempstead's diarv savs; 'die kepi the ferrv 



W 



>ank was op- 



l.oth sails and 



HISTORIC GKOTON 




6 HJSTORIC GROTON 

Grants oi land had early huen taken in Po- travelled to Hartford to the General Court to 
quonnock and ^ly^tic and in order to connect bring this about. In 170J permission was 
the scattered farni> on the ea^t side with Xew given them to build a meeting house thirty- 
London a highway fMllMwniL: the ..1.1 Imhan \\\i: feet square, to ..rganize a church and to 
trail from (irnt.m Hank I.. Myotic Ki\er was hire a minister at the joint expense of the east 
laid out in i(.5_', but beyond I'ort Hill, it wa> ami west sides of the t.iwn. In 1703 the house 
a mere jjentwav until ijo-j. W hen King i'hil- was built at Center (iroton, the most central 
ip's war broke oul in idjs the men of (iroton l..cati.)n. Rev. Ephraim W'oodbridge was the 
volunteered to hL;ht ai;ainst the f..e. Tliev first past.ir. Two years later the East Side 
with a remnant .if the l'equ..ts, were led by became a separate towMiship and was called 
Capt. James Avery. Groton. in honor of Gov. Winthnjp's home in 

The settlers upon the east si.le crossed the England. 




river l.i attend church and were taxed for its In the diviM..n ..f Gr..t..n. cliddren were t.. 

sui)p.irt. Many .if ihem had long distances l.i have the privilege of llic schools .m the 

-.. ami in idSj il was . inlere.l that f.ir the fu- west si.le; the public ministerial lands 

Uire they mi,i;lit invite the minister of the were t.i be in cmimon. while New Lon- 

t.iwn to iireach on their si.le of the riser every d.m was |.i be allowed to cut masts 

third Siind.-iy .luring the f.mr m.ist .lisagreea- f..r sliips from the I'ine Swanqi of Groton. The 

ble months of the year. .Mi.mt the vear 1700 story .if our tirst l..wn clerk. |..hn Davie, reads 

the iieople began to a.sk first for a church ..r- hke a romance, lie, like his neighb.>rs. was a 

;4aniz:ition of their own and then f. .r a separate farmer, but a well educate, 1 man. a -ra.luate 

townshi].. Ca])t. James .\\ery, who was a .if Harv.ar.l, and of a g.jo.l ..1.1 l"amil\'. One 

loyal supporter of the church in New London. day in 170; while hoeing in his fiel.l a messen- 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



yur appeared wlio saluted him as "Sir John 
Da\ie. " Upon his departure for England to 
enter into possession of his vast estates, he 
left money for a handsome communion cup 
fur Mr. \\ (Hidl)ridge's church. The cup bears 
this inscription: "The gift of Sir John Uavie 
to the Lhurch of Christ at Groton. ' 

(_)ne of the early deacons of the church was 
John Seabury, whose grandson, born in North 
Groton, was that Samuel Seabury who was 
the first bishop of Connecticut ami of the 
Episcopal church in the L'nited States. \\ hen 
\\ hitefield came lo New I£ngland, Rev. Jona- 
than Barber, who was then pastor of the 
church, being his devoted friend, invited him 
to visit Center Groton. He came first in Feb., 
1763. and preached in the old meeting house 
and again in June of that year he preached to 
a multitude in frout of Mr. llarber's house. 

In alxiui 17(15 a new meeting house was 
built tm Groton Bank on the old highway a 
mile from the ferry. This house is sometimes 
spoken of as the old "black meeting house," 
from the fact that it was ne\-er painted and 
then again as the "Kinne meeting house," 
from the Rev. Aaron Kinne, the ]:iastor at the 
tmie it was built, and during the Revolution. 




Shipbuilding was one of the town's earliest 
industries. Thomas Starr of Groton Bank, a 
siiipwright. in 1710 sold a sloop called the "Sea 
I'hiwer" which he describes as "a square- 
sterned \-essel of sixty-seven tons and six- 
sevenths of a ton, built by me in Groton." 
(_)ur village became famous for the building 
(jf immense ships way back in 1725. .\bout 
that time a shi]) builder. Capt. John Jeffrey, 



came to Groton Bank and cjbtaincd a grant of 
land upon the river. Here he built two large 
ships, one of these being as large for her day 
as the big steamers lately built here. It was 
the largest ship that had then been constructed 
this side the Atlantic. This great ship of seven 
hundred tons was launched (Jet. 12, 1725. A 
crowd of people came to the launching. The 
other ship of five hundred and seventv tons 



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was called the Don Carlos and sailed for Lis- 
bon. 

Jert're}' was the builder of smaller ships as 
well ; Oct. 26, 1738, John Ledyard, the father 
of John Ledyard "the traveler," sailed for 
England in a new Snow built by Capt. Jeffrey. 
John Ledyard, called "the traveler," was one 
(if Groton's noted men. He sailed with Capt. 
Cook on his second voyage around the world, 
of which he published an account. Later he 
I-'cnetrated into the heart of Russia. He next 
became one of a party to explore the Nile, but 
was taken sick and died at Cairo in 1788, aged 
thirty-seven. 

The inhabitants, who were at first farmers, 
were now to a great extent a seafaring people, 
carrying on trade along the coast and with the 
West Indies and European ]iorts until the 
Revolution put an end to all such traffic. 
Some of Groton's adventurous ones, as well as 
the men of New London, fitted out privateers 
and sent them out to damage the British ships 
vvhicli were 'harrying our coasts. They re- 
turned often with great prizes. Eight hun- 
dred and three recorded prizes were brought 



HISTORIC GROl'OX 




HISTORIC GKOTON 



into this harljor diirini; the war. It is little 
wonder that the British were anxious tu get 
possession of this stronghold of rebels. 

Groton was settled by men and women who 
took an interest in education, believed in civil 
and religious freedom, and those who succeed- 
ed them were filled with the same spirit. They 
were justly indignant at e\ery measure 
adopted h\ (ireat Britain to curtail indepen- 
dence of thought and action among the colo- 
nies. This town, like many another, declared 
war fur itself against deorge III of England. 
.\. bold and patriotic s])irit animated their town 
meetings. l'\iremost in their plans was Silas 
Deane of Xorth Groton, until the Colonial 
Legislature sent him to the Continental Con- 
gress, by which he was later ap]iointed am- 
bassador til I-'rance. (Jther leading men were 
the Avcry>. the Starrs, the Ch.esters, the Led- 
yards — \\'illiani. libenezer and Youngs — and 
'1 liDS. Mnnifnrcl. who was one of the most effi- 
cient of the "Sons of Lilicrty." 

Mr. Alumf. ird. with eleven other men of 
Cfinnecticnt in .\pril. iTTi. fnrmed the project 



other places, a man whom lin\. Trumbull 
usted. In 1/75 -^'''- ^lumford was one of a 
mmittee of the General Assembly to exam- 
s the points of defence and report on the best 





of taking Ticonderoga, which plan was suc- 
cessfully carried out. lie was the first select- 
man during the early years nf the war and was 
the financial manager ..f the affairs nf Groton. 
He was in C(.immimicati<in with fellow patriots 



means of securing the country from invasion. 
( iroton Heights was one of the places selected 
for a fortification. The Groton patriots, ac- 
cording to Miss Caulkins, "With a spirit of en- 
thusiasm that did not wait for legislative aid, 
\oluntarily threw up intrenchments, excavated 
ditches, and erected breastworks and though 
they had no ordnance, except a few pieces at 
the battery at the Heights, resolved to defend 
the position to the last extremity." Later the 
lort was finished and given the name of the 
Lieutenant ( iovernor. Lcdyard was the first 
actual commander, being appointed July, ijjft. 
He later had charge of the forts on both sides 
of the ri\er and at Stonington. 



)nli 



ing for their families. Many of them were 
r.nder Putnam at the battle of Hunker Hill, 
h'ew were left at home to gather in the har- 
vests and defend the town wdiich seemed of- 
ten in danger of an immediate attack, as many 
times liritisli men-of-war w'ere seen in the of- 
I'm.g. .\l last on Sept. 6, 1781, came the dread- 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



attack and a .- 


mall .garrison, aided hy a few- 


hintccrs. \vi,-i-e 


all whn were left tu meet the 


enn'. 




Bravdy they 


■|iu;^lu and well, until, being 


,liy-e<l t<. Mirr 


ender because ..f the over- 


liL-lniiiiL;- iiunilii 


r (.f the enemy, the heru I.ed- 


,rd was killed 


n the act cif surrendering his 


\(inl, and snc 


, a massacre jfull.iwed that 


•en the L'.ritish 


officers could not endure the 



■W'. 



.ffic 



Lost the flower of this Town, both 
and respectable inhabitants. My 




sight, one of them ca 
"Stop, stop, in the nar 
cannot bear it." .Manx 
that day were very ymi 
ys. Little Win. Lath 
.Monkey," because he 
from the magazine to iIk s Idiers escaped ui 
jury an.l, being but iweKi \eais old was al 
lowed to go free. Daniel W illi ims of Sa-sbio il 
a boy of hlteeii, wh.. w is s 
neighbor belongin- t. llu 
killed, as was also Thom is \ 
I,. cm vears. sonof I 'ark .\xmn 



n Al 

(1 ri 



ships, in a letler wrillen after the battle by '" 
Thomas Munil..rd to Cov. Truinbull, he says: cht 



hciuse with the I'hief of the others on the 
r.ank are JJurnt and many families Left desti- 
tute of food and Raiment." 

The village at this time had but one street, 
along \i\ the river, ami when fourteen dwell- 
ing houses, fotu barns, two shops, two stores 
and one scImoI house were burned, but few 
bnililmi^s would be left. The house of Ebene- 
zer .\\eiy. to which the wounded were taken 
after being cruelly jolted down the hill, was 
set on Are, but the flames were extinguished 
in time to save it and the sufl:'erers within. 
There were more than iVirty women of the 
longregatiemal church in Groton wlio that day 
were made widows, and no man was left at the 
iie.xt communion to pass the bread and wine. 

\ot withstanding all that the town had suf- 
iered. at the town meeting in Xo\ember fol- 
lowing the battle it was voted to provide 
clothing f. ir soldiers still in the field, and the 
iie.M s|)ring they voted again to send out more 
men. but the war soon closed making further 



111 siitnliiK 1 ' 

\U\ l^clscxui 


^ll! 


luhluK 1" l^^l^ 


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c..nntry at seven- 




niueteen. Others 


s- cnlice uiiii 


ig. or but a little 


• s 
W.ls 


nders of the fort 






church tell i 


iiie of them were 
1 and four taken 


members no 




religion, bee 


he wounded were 


''^" 


iged to the C'oiiti- 


gregatioiial 




■cessar\. llnsincss of any kind 
low ebb, schools were poor, the 

to a decadent stale: some of its 
willing to be taxed to support 

inu- Separatists, and held meet- 

lisioiic .\\ery house. The Con- 



,,astor, when in iS!ii Mr 
I'utlle was installed over the twi 
if llroton and North Groton. 



HISTORIC GROrON 





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,2 HISTORJC GROTON 

In 1S12 followed a second war with Great I'.ailey, wlm promptly <lr(:ipped her llannel pet- 

llritain liecause of the impressing of seamen. ticoat and gave it to him with the wish that 

This town being the home of so many seafar- "the aim might be sure and the execution thor- 

ing men sufi'ercd in consequence. Again the ough on the English." For this and other pa- 




he wars with ( .reat 



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1 i> "I'll sill . n r 



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.h-en had lied I,,] 
be found nnlil tl 






.■t Mrs. Ai 



IIJSrOK/C GROTON 




HKSinKNCK or MRS. WILLIAM H MINI li IlIiMFs slUl \ I 




HISTORIC GKOTON 




linlo. tiink part in the celebration. At this 
meeting; it was rcsfihed that a monument Ije 
crecU-il in hniini- of the lirave men who fell 
ill ImhI (lris\\i)l(l. in iSj*'), with proper cere- 
uKun, llu" ciirnerstiine was laiil. and in 1830 
tile niMmiiiieiU was finished. 1'lic funds for 
liiiildiiiL; were raised liy a lottery wliich was 
v.raiiteil 1)\- the legislature. 

(irdlmi Afonument Association, udiicli is 
still in existence, had charge of the IniildiiiL;. 
To this organization mone}' was gi\-en by 
Congress in 1R81 to carry up the shaft to a 
symmetrical height, repair the ctilnnm and 
beautify the gronnds. On the centennial nf 
the battle, Sept. 6. 1881. a great celebration 
was held which lasted two days, to wdiich 
thousands of people came. .\ large fleet of 
warships was in the harbor; all the military of 
the state were here with the go\ernor and his 
staflf, also Gen. Sherman and his stafT of the 
ITnited Stales army. A sham fight took place 
in imitation of the original battle. Orations 
were delivered bv Gen. Hawley and Hon. 
Edward Everett TTale : remarks \\ere made by 
other famous men, and original poems were 
read, all making a very notable occasion. 

.W the time of the Civil war, Croton again 
responded nobly, sending many men to the 
front and spending about $80,000 for bounties, 
premitnns and support of families, which was 
more than any other town in the countv with 
the exception of Norwich. 

In 1862 our government felt the need of 
greater facilities for the buildinc, repair and 
dockage of its vessels. .\ board of officers was 
sent to examine New London harbor, .\fter 
examination they re|iorted, "The harbor of 
New T.ondon possesses greater ad^■antages for 
a navy yard than any (>thcr location examined 
by this board." 

Tn 1864 a na\al committee nf the hniise also 
\-isited the site and reported in its favor. No 
immediate action, however, was taken. Tn 
the year 1867 T\Tr. John R. P.olles gave to the 
state a tract of land lying on the rover to 
be given by the state to the government "for 
naval ptirposes." Tn t868 the gift was made 
and accepted b>- the government, .\fter a 
*-inie a wharf was built. Storehouses, quarters 



HISTORIC GROTON 




iWKLLIXCiS OF MRS. AXXIK (J. MAl'LES. MO 



MK.NT STHKI 




HILL MK.MolilAI. I.lIiliAIiV 



inSTORfC GROTOX 




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HISTORIC GROTON 




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mi; IIVIMN M. <i lilllKN. IIIAMKS S'l 



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for iiffic 



lllsrOKIC CROTON 



were erected, esieil, the Eastern SliiphuildiiiL; Co. took 
Imndred and departiu-e, leavin- Imi the liuildins;s of 



ir i^i 



■aminL; ^ch..,,! fnr marines winch liad lieen limit li\- onr specniat. .rs. Snice the 

ent then ],lanned to estahlish slnphmldin- company left ns, very little bnsi- 

herc. X'olhin- more, howexer, came .if it, the ntss ha- heen carried on in Cmton. However. 

yard liein- u-ed nierelx as a coalin- slalio,,. many of ( noton's pr. .fessional and liu-iness 

Dnrin- the lime that the whalin- mtercsl men liavm- offices an,l places of Imsmess in 

went to the ]iolar re-ions. In 1X35 .Inrin- one \> hich l-i live. 

of his x.iya.i^es la|it. Jas. M. r.uddinL;(on res- In \)^^., l(;c«i, a ]ietition was sent to the 

cued the "Res, , lute, ' sent li\ the I'.n-lish -ox- ( ,ener;d .\ssemldx of the state of Connecticut 

ernment in search of .Sir John I'ranklin, .-md lo create ( in.ton Ilei.L;hts a liorouyh. and a 

liron-ht her in to .,nr harlH.r. The Cnile.l charter at the same time was asked l.y other 

.states rewarded the rescuers and, haxiuL; iml j.arties for a trolley between Crot,.!! and West- 

the "Kes.ilnte" in -ood con.lition. restored her erly. 

to the r.ritish l;i >x eminent. In m^M t'^' horoti-h xxas incorp. irated and 

<."a]it. S. .\. I'.nddin.Liton xx as one of the " I'o- alioul that time the trollex xvas put throni.;h. 

best whalini.; x oyai;e ex er made xvas by C;i])t. ply and li,L;htinL; lacililies, the C.roton I'.lectric 

the "I'loneer." jdants to the boronL;h. 

.Sailin- f..r llu,ls,,n's Hay June 4. 1X04, she .Mr. h'rcdenc I'.ill has conferred a .^real .i^ifl 

returned .Se|.t. iS. 1X1.5, xxith 1.,^^ b.arrels ,,f |,|„,n ( .rolon in establishm-, buildin- and 

whale od an,l _'_',(,5o p,,nn,Is of whalebone, a maintaining a free |.nblic library, the "llill 

car-o worth $150,000, Later Capl. .\lor.L;an. .Memorial Library." llie beautiful buildin- 

as soon as .\laska wa.s ceded to the Inited sl.mds on a rise of ^ronnd under the shadow 

.States, in behalf of the .\laska Conniicrcial Co. of the monument. dlie ori.^inal buildin-, 

of Xew London, made the first lan.lin- on St. xxhich was dedicated in iX.,o. has lately been 

Laubs Islan.l, the sralin- ,L;ronn.l, and r.aised nnich enlarged. The book room xx as extended 

(he first .\merican l1a-. some ei-hteen or twenty feet and a lar-e room 

I'oint. owes its existence t.. .Mr. .\lbert L. .\v- In this nnmi is now iustalle.l a lar-e and rare 

cry, who owned the land and conceived the collecli,.n of butlcrllies, another -ift from Mr. 

idea of makiuL; it a sunnner waterin- iilacc. Ihll, who is ,m,eh intereste.l in all nature stud- 



Si reels xx 



s XX ere op, 



.Mr. Ax 



o a fine codec 
.ther, .Mr. Cur 






in-, ddie -.Minnes.ila- hrst and ihei. 
kot.a" sailed awav f. ,r ser\ ice on \\ 



birds, the .liifl of 
;ill of Sprin-hebl, 
.Mass. I'.eantiful i-aintin-s loancl by Mr. I'.ill 
ban- u],on the xx.dL^ The bnildin- is beauti- 
fully fm-nishe.l and \xell li-hted. The care- 
.■ Criswold." fullx chosen books ;ire bx' st,ind;ird authors, 

ipbuildin- Co. 1..- new ones bein- added fn .m lime 1.. time, (^n.- 
the bml.lin- of the Ion ])eople c;innot lo.. hi-hly eslimate ihe 
mesoiii" and •■l).i- x.ilnc lo them of such ;i library. 

le Anna W arner I'.ailey Chapter, f). A. R,. 
■ done much f. .r ihe improvement of the 

I. dhex have a.lde.I .1 fine annex to the 



')']' 



It had been propli-, , Id iiioiuunent li-'use 



///S 1 'OR IC G l< 1 ON 




lIlSrONlC (iRl)TON 




l()[)(;e HorsK, resiuknck of mi;. Mtun-nN v i't.ant 



iM 



i; H 




liliiifibi: 



\\'M\\\ 



"' '' I Eli j 

'"-V— V """ tiiiis flssasa sssiit 



yiv. .Morton F. Plant. \\h 
late here, ever since he came to ( 
taken great interest in the place 
nuicli for it. He has aided the 1) 
tiicir schemes for imi)ro\iii- the vi 



mSTOKIC GROTOX 

s a fine es- huildin"- o 



•tun 



ick with stone trimnnnj. 
for town clerk, judge 
lard of selectmen, and 
'ge gatherings. 



lia\ing offices in 
]jrol)ate and the 
1 auditorium for 



Itiu I ili " 




has done nuich tor (jur highway^, lately guing 
$10,000 toward their impro\ement. II is great- 
est gift to the town is that of the fine new 
town hall at I'oc|uonnock llridge. erected 
there l)ccau-e that was the most central loca- 
tion. It is a handsome and commodious 



( )n the day of the dedication a handsome 
loving cup w-as presented to Mr. Plant by the 
townspeople as a token of their appreciation 
of his gift and their esteem and regard for the 

donor. 



HISTORIC (JJWJO.V 



A Brief Sketch of the First Congregational Church of Groton 

By M. ADELAIDE RANDALL 




hrcwc.nd, Milistant 
which he wa.^ hehl 



Unvn which ha> ,L;ni\\n up around it and a cut and cart his , 

cnnipletc acciiunl of its iiastcrs, its branches |iri)(jfs of the este 

uf work and f..i-ms of aclivhy, its various his ll.ick. Tlie church still cherishes ..ne relic 

huuses .,f w(.r>hii,. and its nieml.ers wuul.l in- . if his past. .rate. In 1707. John Davie, a 

elude a lari;e pari ><[ ihe town hislorv. Such fanner am! tile hrst tnwn clerk (if (imtcin, 

an account would he \'ery attractive, hut in came into possession of a vast English estate 

this short article much .if interest must neces- an.l l.aronel.-y. Tp-.n his departure for I'Jig- 

sarily he onnttch an.l we nnist cml^ne .mr- kind lie left a gift of six pounds to jiurchase 

selves to a descripli. m of tiie f.irmali.m an.l pkile for Mr. W. 1. ..Ihri.lge's church, d'his -ifl 

early hist.iry of that church, an.l its three ha-, heeii preserve. 1 in the f. .rni . if a handsome 

earliest meeting houses, ami attempt t.i i^ive -.ilver connnuniou cup which was used reg- 

only partial accmnls of the lives of its pas- ularly in .mr w.irslnp for nearly two hun.lre.l 

turs up to the year i.SSo. \ ears. It hears this inscription: ■'Idle (iifl oi 

In 1O.S7, while dr.it.in was still a part of Sr j.ihn 1 )a\ ie t. . the Lhurch of l.hrist in 

Xew Eon. 1. in, it was Mite.l in t.iwn meeting ( h-ot.m." 

■dilierty 1. 1 iiuite the nnnister ..f the l.iwn l.i ^\as disinisse.l in 17J4 after a pasl.irale ol 



separate or;;anizal 
jirivilege ..f huil.lii 
live (351 feel s.pni 



,L;ranled witli tin 
.■liiii; li.iuse, tlnrtN 



hihn ( 



ise at t eiiU 



that his converts sh.iuhl 
..r .if .March I wenty-fourlh, 
)ilr\- : ■• \l ;i meelin.L; of the 
■ist in ( M-.it.iu, after nraver. 



HISTOKJC GROTOiX 



il \\a> \uU-(l b\ llic Church that :,ucli niciiibfr.s 
uf this church, whom the church thought 
Delinquent and walked Disorderly, should be 
called to an account before the church." Then 
they voted particularly concerning eight mem- 
bers (whose names are given) "that they be 
notified to appear before the church and give 
their reasons why they had separated from the 
I uldic worship and communion of the church." 
At a meeting in April, when the delin(|uents 
had rejjorted. the record continues: ■"This 
church ha\ing heard all the reasons they ot- 
leretl, and considered and weighed them, 
\ote<l that they looked ujjon the reasons as 
altogether insufficient to justify them, and that 
their conduct herein was disorder!}', sinful 
and very offensive, and that therefore they be 
suspended from communion until :they are 
convinced thereof and make Gospel satisfac- 
tion." 

Tliis personal sui)er\ision h\ the jjastor 
seemed to agree with the church, for during 
his twenty-six years of ministry, two luni<lred 
and three meml)ers were added to this congrr 
gation. Mr. Owen was distinguished for hi 
liberalit}- toward those who differed from bin 
in i)oints of doctrine, and he advocated relig- 
i' us tolerance to such a degree that in 1744 
be was summoned before the Assembly for 
heresy. lie was dismissed on the ground thai 
his fault was not due to contempt of law. bul 
ratlier to a misguidecl con>cience ,nid nM-r- 
heated zeal. Mr. ( )wen died in 173;,, and bis 
tombstone graphically states : 

"Man of God, a faithful .seer. 
Husband, kind, a father dear 
.And indeed a neighbor near 
Was he. whose clay is lodged licre.'" 

The third pastor was Rev. Daniel Kirkland 
who remained here only four years, and of 
whose pastorate there are but slight records, 
lie was followed by Rev. jonalban llarber, the 
last pastor who i)reached in the t enter I imton 
meeting house. He was graduated from Vale 
in 1730. and for awhile labored among the 
Mohcgan Indians. \\'hen George Whitefiebl 
first came to Xew England in 1740. .Mr. jlar- 
ber was among the first to offer >ynipalhy ami 
io-nj)eration. .and W hiti'tii^Id believed him 
sent as an an>wer to prayer: henceforth ibeir 



lriend>hii) ua-^ nuuual and peri)etual. .\ller 
Mr. r.arber was settled in Groton, Whitetield 
\ isited him on February sixth, 1763, and 
l^reached in the old meeting house. In the fol- 
lowing June he came again and preached from 
a scaffolding erected from the second story 
window of the liarber house. The area 
around was thrt^nged with people who had 
come from miles about to hear him. So imer- 
ested were they, that large nundiers followed 
bis carriage when he dro\e to .Vew London. 
That was a great day for (iroton! 

.\fter a pastorate of ten years. Mr. llarijer 
died and was buried in the Starr cemetery. At 
liis simple funeral, there was neither hearse. 
nor coaches for the mourners. The honored re- 
mains were liorne upon the shoulders of many 



"4 


^a^4t' 


*t^4,. 




pfl-Plrl^ 


tt 




j^flMfTl.^^ 


P*!^Ai 



I long ])ioeession tollowed walknig \o dis- 
pl<i\ <if an_\ sort was nidulgcd m. but genuine 
were all the expressions ot reverential sorrow 
and love. 

.\.t this time. 17^.7, the second meeting house 
came into being. The first that had l)een used 
for sixty-three years had fallen into (lisre])air 
;ind as (Iroton T.ank was evidentlv increasing 

road running norlb lo IMeasant \alley, where 
i' joins the village road tb.at runs up the hill 
to ibe .Minc'r Iionu'sicad. The new building 
uas (|uaclr;ingular in t..rm. ;i snbst;niti;il 
structure ..f while ..ak. well ela|i-boarded. 
vhich l".)r seating capacity cnnpared well 
with (.ur present church. .\s it was painted 



n.l ]H,i-lin- ri-l 




f,l Inun.l Mr. 


l\ 


<,l thai cn>l 




,.f -ct U]< anol 


hv 


iik- -Mr. Kiiiiic 


p 


lie \ nrk ^lau• 


. 1 



24 HJSTORIC GKOTON 

I'lit (iiice (hirini; it> (.■.\i>ti.'ncc nf sixty-bcveii il was fi lia\c an acli\L- part in the now-h^rn 

_\ears, it grew black, and that name clung to it natit>n'> struggle. ( )n September sixth. 1781. 

although it is known in history as "the Kinne in the ilaiile of liroton Heights, every male 

meeting-house." It had doors on three sides, 11. ember nf the church, except Deacon Solo- 

the east, west and south, and as nne entered nmn .Mnrgaii. wlu' was then a \er}- old man. 

the south donr he laee.l ihe c|uamt old i.nlpil. was kdled. To .Mr. Kinne came the sa.l duly 

].erched high abo\ r ilu' congregation, with Us of consoling and miuisicring to mx1_\ wi.low^ 

huge sounding board. .\ Mrai,L;hl woodm and three limes as many ..ri.haus, all made 

bench at the back of the ]>ulpii proxidcd the -.iicli m one da>'. It was due lo his faith and 

minister's seat, and o\rr his head was a small i-nergy that the church surviNcd this siunmng 

the high-backe.l jiews : a boy's dim would war. m ijS;,. for the people made an efforl to 

just come to the lop of one. Vw^xy ])arl of nd thfiusL-Kes of the luiglish custom ..f sup- 
the inside work was of clear natn e ] 
n..ne of its rich col,. ring was e\ er 
by paint. 

.\round the walls of the room, was , 

doors. .\ galler\ ran around three sid* 
house, and in the front sat ihe singers under home, but soon anucable relations with ih 
the leadership of li\e choristers. I'.ul all these t .rolon church were restored and he com|)lete 
leaders were sometimes unable to hold the his pastorale of twenty-nine years, the long 
congregation to the tune as Imed ; it would est m the history of the church, 
persist in singing the mosi familiar one. On .\ iter the dismissal of .M r. Kmne. this churc 
such occasions the singing would sometimes \',as w ithoul a setlleil jiasior f. .r thirteen year- 
be interrupted, "to gel a fresh start." ami and during that jieriod moral ilepraxily nilei 
sometimes it w.nild be allowed to ]iroceed with ''riie vill.ige was a moral waste." In iSi 1. ke\ 
somewliat iuhariuouious results. .\t rtrst there rimi.tlu ■ruttle's ordination took' ]ilace in th 
were no cushions. eai]>ets or hre in this Kiuue meeting house, and a new order ( 
church, but about iS iS. in the face < .1 much op- ihmgs began t.,|.re\ail. lie .\ as ma.le pasto 
],osition. a box stove was place. 1 111 front of the of two churches, the one in North ( .n.loi 
pnlpit. ()flentimes sl.anuch opposers of this ,|(.w I.edxard. whuh had ouK five members 
luxury would complain ol il,e "mteuse" heat and the one at lirolou Hank which had 1 w enl> 
an.l of the iliscomlorl caused b\ il, onl>- to be sc\en. .Mr. Tnltle |. reached to each coiign 
told that there was no| one bit of lire in the g.aliou 011 alteruale .^un.la> s, but chose hi 
-^I'we. home ill l,ed\'ar.l. I I e was exceedmgl \ faith 
Into this new .diiirch. 111 1 ;oo. came ke\ . fid to his ch.arges. and on mau> a storm 

Il IS a matter of deep regret that we h.a\e \er> lords house. When he w.as sellled. ill 

slight church records of liis pastorale, but .•oiinlrv was prep.ariu.L: for ils second grea 

liom other sources we can judge ..I llie trials war with I'.ngland. in behalf of free commerc 

those siM-ring d:i>s reli-ioii \\as s,,uiewhat peciallx . since it has .ah\ ,a \ s been I he home , 

liiige.l with ].obncs. ,au,l ou the Sabb.alh. \\w so ui.auN sea-fariug men. .ami while the rive 

miuisier's seriuou w.as verv ,apl to deal with w.as block.aded bv I'.nlish war vessels. bo| 

the wrongs \slmli llie .\ineric.au patri..ls were r.islor and people were sorely tried. Durin 

eudurmg and lo suggest some reme.ly for his pastorale of | went v 1 hree years, sixlv uin 

Ihem. r,m this cougregaliou was not lo be mcanbers wi're .added lo the chundi .and 111 

conleuled Willi luerelv discussing ihe m.alter; I'u- 1 .^abb.alli school was opened, so ihc .diurc 



IIISTORJC GROTOlX 



appears lo have been tlnurisliin-. On the call on (uic ul his parishi. hkts and was U. take 
sixth of September. i8ji, -Mr. Tuttle deliveretl lea with the cordial lad\-. W'c can inuiLjiiie 
in the Old Fort the "anniversary sermon" that for the occasion, "Grandmother's" tlow- 
which by request was published and is still ing blue china had been brought out, her verv 
extant, so that if any reader feels so inclined best preserves and cake ])laced on the table 
he may come into touch with this interesting and possibly some very clmice tea came dour, 
man, through his own writings. In 1834, at his from its shelf in the closet, since it was an open 
own request, Wx. Tuttle was dismissed from secret that Elder Tuttle was \ery fond of tea. 
this church, in order that lie might gi\e his During the dainty meal she in(|uired solicit- 
tiine wholly to the Xortli Church. On jii 
sixth, i8f.4, ho was called to his I iod, and fr. 
his monument in Ledyard, he ever says to 1 
].eiiple in both towns. "Remember the wor 
which I ^])okc unto you while 1 was yet wi 



ne 


ously of her guest 


>m 


"l-:ider Tuttle, is 


liis 


"There's no bai 


■ds 


Elder simpl_\-. 


ith 


This sceme<l rat 




hostess peeked inl 




.Mr. Tiittlc, or V.V 
;ivs called, was a 



(all, strongly built day in Cn.tMn, a lor-clful hostess is likel\- to 

m.-m wli..se c.nnlenance nurn.rcl lorlli the lau^li and -ay, "W ell, 1 declare, I've made 

dignilv ;in.l >..li,|ity ,,l lu> character. l-.very -.mc ..f I'.jdrr Tuttle'- tea." 

one felt ,^reat re\ erence for him which ap- It i> re|)..rle(l that this same hostess once 

proached ;iwe, not that he wa> au-tere. for he tried li> pry In.ni l''.lder Tuttle a secret con- 

.-ibsorbed with tin- tlionL;lu ..f iju- >ok-ninily \fter she had ((uestioned him awhile, he 

forward. ..nl-|)oken m.-in ha\e g.atliered many "('an you kee]) a secret?" 



HISTOkJC GROTON 



lui.l now been u.scd .sixty-lhrcL- years, just 
as long as their tirst house of worship. Dur- 
ing that time, Groton had grown to be a fair- 
sized village, and as this church now minis- 
tered to this district iiaiticularly it was de- 
cided to locate a new l.uildniL; within the 



the present .Ira w-liridge on |)ni|)ert\ 


; gi\en by 


the IJarher family. .\t that time th 


e situation 


was very desirable and pleasant, o 


verlookin.L; 


a> it does, the beautiful Thames ri 


ver. This 


building was of course built accordii 


,g to mo,l- 


eni ideas, although U received tw, 


1 additions 


before it became the building we i 


low know. 


This building i- -^till standing, alt 


hough the 



lather being the founder and first president of 
Dartmouth college, and he himself established 
a high school at Shrewsbury, New Jersey, of 
which he was the principal for four years. 
His ministry in Groton was marked with suc- 
cessful progress and continued for four years 
and a half. During that time our Articles of 
haitli and our Cdvcnant were revised, printed 
and circulated among the members of the 
cliiircli. and a decided improvement was niani- 
ie>lcd in the charitable contributions. His res- 

reluctantly accepted by the people. 



■. Rev. .Samuel 
i,S(,4. Air. I In 



wii. was not 



used as a plac 
years after M 



Rev. J; 
foniide 
stalled 



]Ulll 



The 



years, the 
living ami 
in,g every 
riower wa 



lie was especially interested in missionary 
work and during his pastorate a great impetus 
was gi\cn to the church benevolences. The 
formation oi The ( irotoii Bank Teinperance 
L'nioii stands as a nioinimeiit to his enter- 
prise. When this project met with deter- 
mined o])position. the I'.aptist ])astor, b'.lder 

i- saiil that ne\cr had there been more Ghris- 



.leat 
lliirtN 



b.seph 



ilpil 
ed 1. 



HISTORIC GROWN 



27 



tlK' choir, lie slMppcl in the midst (if his (lis- h(;artily Uu- eve-i y i^dod inlere'st (.1 the coin- 
course and gazed with his piercing eyes at the numity. During several successive winters 
offender. Naturally all eyes were turned he held revival meetings in his church con- 
toward the culprit who felt very uncomfort- ducted by well-known evangelists of the time, 
able. At the close of the service, the organist. He did not content himself with simply hold- 
whd was somewhat of a wag, took his re\enge ing such meetings, but often took tlie visiting 
by i)layiiig, "When the Swallows llomeward evangelist around from house to house, so 
\'\\," that the people might come int(j intimate, 
Mr. .Swallow's dismissal took ]ilace July friendly relations with him. .\s a result of his 
first, 1870, and until iS;i the church was with- zeal, many members were received into the 
(,ut a ])asl(.ir. Rev. James 11. Tyler was or- church. In 1877 after much labor and pains- 
(iaiued in September of that year, llis death taking research he published a "Review of the 
occurred on May twenty-eighth, 1872, after he Congregational Church" from 1704 to his i)as- 
had been here onlv eight mouths, lie was a I irate, with sketches of the ministers. Thiit 




man of strong intellectualily and luiicli cnb Look contains all that can be gleaned from 

tiire. and if he had been .n]i;u((1 it is twident records concerning the church, ar.d is \ ery ac- 

tliat he would have acconiplisln-d much good curate in its information. It is 1)_\ far the 

ten at length by Rev. J. II. Del'orest and the indebted for many of ihe facts embodied in 

following (|Uotation is from that \ohime: ".\s this article. Air. Wdodhull was dismissed in 

;i pastor, he was pimis, sincere, faithful, un- 1880, after serving eight years, 
tj-ing. lie loved his i)eopK. with an unchang- Since 1880, three pastors have ministered 

ing love, and almost his last words were, 'Von in this church: the Rev. A. J. .Mcl.eod for 

are very kind to me, I love you all.'" twelve years. Re\. l-'.dward t'. W illi;ims I'or 

.\fter .\lr. Tyler's death, the clim-ch was two years, and Rev. I'rederick S. Il\(le for 

without a i)astor until \(i\embcr of 1S72, thirteen years. 1 1 is not oiu- pur])i we to clirou- 

lle was ;i \ cry spiritual man and worked that privilege we leave f( ir some fiilm-e writer. 



2,s HISTORIC GROTON 

the building of a new church structure. lion exerci>es were hehl on ( )ctol)er sixteentii, 

In 1900, the question of making repairs to 1902. the two hundredth anniversary 01 the 

tlie old church arose, but when it was found founding of the church, the dedicatory ser- 

that thev would of necessity be \ ery exten- mon being preached l)y Rev. S. 11. Howe, 1). 

Mve, ihe'church penple deci.led to buil.l a new D., ..f .\..rwicli from the text. -What mean 

structure instead. 'The site chosen was the \e b\ these stones." 

l,,t on the cnrner ..t .Monument an<l .Meridian In June, 1908, Rev. James R. Danf.irlh, 1). 

streets, and here, in HKH, just sixly-eight j )., was installed as our sixteenth pastor and 

years after the dedication i>f the f' inner w c sincerel_\ Ik ipe that fi t many years he may 

church, the corner stone of the new structure li\o among us '■that good, diffused, may more 

was laid. This beautiful edifice is in the ( )ld abundant grow." 

b.nglisli style of architecture, and is construct- ( )ne can not study the history of this church 

cd of liel.l stones laid in cement. The front without feeling that in many ways, it has been 

of its t.iwer, over the western entrance, was especially bksl. Il had a most noble ances- 

nected with the history of the church and the best early settlers u],. ,n the shores of .Mass- 
town. There are some from the old church achusetts bay, and in whose veins d.uved the 

lot at lenter ( iroton, some from the "old bestbl 1 of the mother country. .Sturdy in 

black meeting house," au.l many from the b,,dy, keen in muul and fervent in spirit, they 

home lots ,,f the early past.irs. b.ach of the gave to this church a s].lendi(l birthright. It 

deacons had a memorial stone and many of has been enriched by an educated ministry. 

senteil. leges; men of intellectuality and culture who 

The chiu'ch treasures three beantifid mem- ha\ e done much toward maintaining a high 

orial windows. A very large one re])resent- standard of living here in ( iroiou. It has also 

ing the parable of The Ten Talents, occu])ies noble descendants. From ii ha\e gone forth 

the western end. I his was presented l)y the half a score of ministers, among them the first 

occupied ,-1 \er\ pronnnenl j.osition in the useful men and women in all walks of life 
town and chinch. ( )n llie north side is a win- ha\e recei\ed their religious training from this 
(low from the Tiffany stjndios re]iresenting chiu'ch. With .me of her pastors we s;i\\ 
Christ as the .Shei)herd of His Shee|i, a fitting ' With a jiast so full .,f blessi,,- and altain- 
memorial t,. Rev. John .\. W Ihnll. The meut, may the future of this religions house- 
third, of c.mvenln.nal design, is a mem. .rial to h..l.l be -rami in h..lv usefulness." 



HISTORIC GROTON 



Groton Heights Baptist Church 

By REV. GEORGE R. ATHA 




CIILRl'U that was organized in 
a^® lS4_^ canndt boast of "hoary walls 
^K and ancient halls," especially if it 
s worshipping in the second 
uiilding it has occupied since that 
Vet the writer of this brief record being 
privileged frcun time tci time tci hold the cups 
and i)lates df the nld pewter Cdmmnnion set. 

partook of the element> ni the sacrament 
therefrnni. and he cannot but rejoice in their 
history. 

The story is brief, covering Ijut sixty-si.x 
years, and it begins thus: "A council called by 
certain l)rethren and sisters residing in the 
towns of (iroton, New London and jewett 
City, for the purpose of g"i\ing them fellow- 
ship as a church, to be called "The liaptist 
Church at Groton Bank,' convened at the 
house of Deacon Robert .\. .\very on Thurs- 
day, March i6. 1843, and organized at 11 
o'clock a. m. .\fter due inquiry into the cir- 
cumstances uniU'r which the clun-ch came into 
existence, the council \-oted 'Tliat when the 
church shall adopt the articles and the cove- 
nant, we extend to it the hand of fellowshi]) a> 
a ciiurch in (lospel order.' " 

exercises, the Congregational church having 
kindly offered their house for the occasion. 
The cluu-ch came together and in the presence 
of the congregation adopted their ;irlicles ol 
faith and covenant, after which the services 
proceeded as folows: 

Reading of .Scrijjtures and prayer i)y Rev. 
r>. I", iledden; Sermon by Rev. !>. Cook, text, 
I'4diesians 1: 19-20; Prayer of Recognition l)y 
Rev. I.. Covin : Hand of l"eIlowship by Rev. 
II. R. K'nai)]); Charge to (he Cluirch by Rev. I. 
R. .Stoward: concluding prayer bv Rev. !•:. 



Denison. Such is the story ot the l)eguuiing 
of the church. 

At the time of the organization there were 
51 enrolled as members of the church. Ser- 
vices were held either at the North Eane 
school house or in the school house of District 
No. I. But temporary quarters did not long 
satisfy this little company, whose buoyant, 
optimistic and i)rogressive spirit is borne wit- 
ness to in the following paragraphs taken ver- 
batim from the cluircli records: 

I. .\t a meeting licUl un March -'51I1. ^"^^^ di'"^- 
(lays after the orKanizaticii was effected I it was voted; 
"'lliat we cireidale a subscription to Iniild a meeting 

_'. On thi- iXih of July, 1844, it was voted; "That the 
Imildini; cuniinuiee be instructed to accept proposals 
and lindil a nieuiny house for the Groton Bank Baptist 
Church, according to their best judgment." 

,3. bi May. 1845, it was voted; "That our meeting 
house be dedicated to the service of Almighty God on 
the 4th of June, 1845, and that Elder Jabez S. Swan Ire 
invited to preach the dedication sermon." 

This first meeting house served the chtirch 
as its place of worship from 1845 until 1S7J. 
It still stands on Thamo St., jtist where yott 
make the turn in going to the raih'oad station. 
It was remodelled and has heen uscil for some 
years now as a dwelling. 

In 1871. during the second ])a>torate of I-'.l- 



tlie 



1st 



the result th;it $4,500 was raised, which vvilli 
the valtie of the church property maile a work- 
ing capital of over $r),ooo. .\ building cnnnit- 
lee was ap],ointe<l and the work pushed for- 
ward vigorously so that . >n the 11th of Jnly. 
1872. the bnildin- was finished and dedicated, 
the sermon on this occasion being ])reache(I 
by Rev. J,,hn Davies ,,f Norwich. The church 
c'lince has been well kept and Is in a ^ood 
state of preservation. In 1874 it was freed 



30 



HISrOKIC GROTON 



froni (lelit sm far as the IniildiiiL; fund was i;i frame and in heart he L;ave a splendid prouf 

cncerned. and chnin- that > ear als.i a hell . .f his niini-lr\ . Two hundred and forty-three 

was placed in the tower by ei.L;ht nf the bretli- were added (m the church during his pastorates 

ren nf the church. Td-day the i^rowth of the and his name will e\er be honored in this com- 

I'.ible school and the desire for a more conven- munit_\-. 

lent arrani;ement for classes is Icadint;- the Rev. Y'.. '\ . .Miller's pastorate was next in 

trustees and other officers t.' think seriou>ly hn-th, coxerin,^ a period of eiL;ht years and 

as to how they can best rearrau!^e the \es- se\en month--, and next a,L;ain in point of time 

trys to facilitate and make more et'ticient tlii'- was the pastorale of Rev. 1.. 1',. Sears, who 

N'igorous department of the church's work, rouude<l out .si.\ years with this peo|)le. k'.hler 

Counting the present incumbent, it may be I'.allentine wouhl come next with f.^nr and a 

interesting to note that the church has had third years of s|)lendid achievement in both 

during these sixty-six years thirteen pastor-, material and spiritual things-. \\ hile many of 




been so-called supply ],aMor>. The pastors not wanting in them as the records attest. I'.s- 
were. in order, as f..llows: Reverends Ruther- pecially is this to be noted in the brief niinis- 
fonl Russell, .\. T. Allen, (first pastorate), ii ie's of Revs. Kutherford Russdl. I'dihu Dew- 
Isaac (heeseborongh, l-.d-ar Hewitt, Ceorge hurst and Dr. \. W. Miner, who th, nigh here 
Matthews, b'.lihn Dewlun>l, \. T. Allen (sec- for but brief period-,, respeclix ely. saw eighty- 
ond pastorate), Xoves \\ . .Miner, D. D., four, thirty-two ami ^i^t\-one a.hle.l to the 
(,eor-e R. Darr.iw. Ceorge \. Rallentine, V. church. Ke\. W . .\. Smith who served as miji- 
T. Miller, I.. 1',. Sears and ( ieor^r R. Alha. ply-].astor, grat uito„>ly . |o, .. be it said, had hi- 
The supply ],as|ors were 1'.. .\n<lrews, .M . .M . service ..I love honore.l by 1 wenty-eiglit beiuL; 
lla\en. and William .\. Smith. added to the church while it was under his 
Of this grouii n,,ne can comi-arc. of course. care. Ti. .d has indee.l honored his servants 
(ither in length of service, or in their grip here, in that ..ver six hundred altogether dnr- 
upon the church and connmmitx. with F.lder in- these vears ha\ e been bron-ht into the fel- 
Alleii. who for a period of almost twenty lowsliip . >f the church, and all has e been in'ivi- 
vears guided the affairs of the church. Large leged to .share, not only in the sowing of the 



HJSTOKJC GROTON 



-seed, but also ill the reaping ol the liarxest. 
'llic years 1845, 1848, 1872-73 and i88j were 
years marked by special manifestations of 
spiritual jiower in the conversion of men. 

J I would be a difficult thiiii; to deterinine 
just where one ought to slop if he attempted 
to make mention of the men and women, who 
during- these sixty-six years have sought by 
loving and painstaking service in this church 
to honor God and advance the interests of His 
kingdom. But there are two names that no 
one writing of the church would be able to 
omit, so indelibl}- lia\e they been written in 
the church's history. The first of these names 
is that of Deacon Robert Austin Avery, 
through "whose untiring and self-denying ef- 
forts this church had its birth." I'or nineteen 
years he ser\ed as senior deacon, seldom be- 
ing absent from the services though he lived 
some distance from the church. He died De- 
cember 20, 1862. The cliurch records during 
those nineteen years indicate that the heart 
and hand of Deacon .\\-ery were e\er mindful 
of the church, and that he abounded in every 

con Charles 11. Starr, who also was with the 
church at the beginning even though his name 
does not appear as a constituent member. He 
was elected deacon in Xovcmber, 1845, and 
served the church in that office for a period of 
si.\ty-two years. A quiet, simple, straight- 



forward, good man, his sincerity and virtue 
impressed his brethren in the church and also 
h.is neighbors and fellow townsmen. This 
record is all too brief to indicate what the ear- 
nest faith and piety of these brethren meant in 
the wa\' of blessing to the church, but without 
such mention of them aii_\' record \\(.iul(l ha\-e 
to be marked incomplete. 

Of the allied and au.xiiiary organizations to 
the church, the Sunday school of course stands 
first in the hearts of the peojjle. It has an en- 
rolled memliership o[ about two hundred and 
fifty, with an a\erage attendance of one hun- 
dred and forty. Its nineteen classes give op- 
portunity for students of all ages to share in 
J'.ible-study, and it manifests an active inter- 
est in all the varied missionary and philan- 
thropic enterprises espoused by the church. 

Other organizations are the Ladies' Mis- 
sionary Societ}-, the Ladies' Benevolent .So- 
ciety, and the Baptist Young People's Union. 
These give ample opportunity for expression 
and participation in the \-aried lines of work, 
and all are proving helijfnl to the work of the 
church at large in jiractical \\a\s and in pra\-- 
erful ways, in studious paths and in paths 
where time and talent must be sacrificed that 
the church may be sustained, and the blessed 
gospel preached both liere at home and yonder 
across the sea. 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



The Bishop Seabury Memorial Church 



By REV. C. S. M. STEWART 




I v. V 

Chui 

first 
W c.l 



IT nf St. James' W alUvr, the rc.L;uIar appumtcl nii.sMuiuiry, 

1,1, ,11, liehl the a-iinie,l cliar.^e ,,f the \v,>rk. Succe- eniwiied 

>ei-vices , ,n tlie hiln.r ,,f the niissi, mary ami >< „ m Mifficieiit 

ims ill l,eiit, lr.ii,ls ha,l heen ,il)taine,l fur the c iii^tructi,,!! 



S74, ulii.h reMihe.I in the f.,nml- , 1 the iiresent church cUt^ce. The Rev. A 
he .Ml ,i,,n in (imtMii. A Snn.hiy at- W aU<er snhmitte.l jilans drawn liy liimself 



^^S^^^^^IW^MIM. i"'"'"'" 1"' 1"' '" 







hiwiii- \\Iiitsun,hiy. jnne 4th, 
hurch huihlin- hein- still in an 
>n,litii,n, the services were held 
;ri>"l of time in Mechanics' Hall. 
iish the consregatinii had met for 



\ c,,mi>leted an,l chnrchly structure awaited 
llie return ,if the c. ,n-re-ati, ,11 , ,11 Sun, lay. Au- 
gust i,:;th, iS;*.. and the Rev. J. I", Taunt was 
the ,>f"hciatiii,L;- clerL;\inaii. The Re\ . Mr. 
Taunt havin.L; l.eeii a|M>"iute,l i.riesl-in-char-e 
hv the l,iMi,.|) ,il the ili.icese, enlercl up,, 11 his 
duties September y\. iS;!.. The last menti,,ueil 
, ler-vmau was f,ill,,ue,l hy the Rev. II. T. 
i;re,L;,,r\ \vli,,se luiuistrali, ui het^an .March hth. 
1S7S. Idle Ri'\. .Mr, (irei;-(iry rendered the 
imp.irl.iut -ervice ,,l liftin.L; a debt nf .$1 .730.00 
\\hieh ha, I pre\eiile,l the c msecrati, ,11 ,.f the 
, hnrch. < )n TucMlav. September i.^lh. iSSi. 
I lie .dmreh was e, -iisecratcl and set .aiiart l-.r- 






( in ,t,i 



inSTORlC GKOTON 33 

'IIk- Missiniiaries in charge have been: <)• The Rev. James ( ), Tickiior — (In coiinec- 

tiun with St. -Mark's I'arish, Mvstic) — 
. The Rev, R. .M. 1 )uti--l.ent, ,874. tn ,Sth ^^^,^ g^^^^^^. .^^^^^ ^^^.^^^^^^._ ,g^.; ^,, _^^,, 

Sunday alter |-nnil\ . Sunday after Trinity, 1886. 

. The Rev. MilhdKC Waiker—iSih Sunday -_ The Rev. William 1.. I'eck— 17th Sunday 
after Trinity to Lent, 187(1. after Trinity, iS8(). to 0th Sumlay after 

\sh W edne^- '^^\^^^^y. l8<M. 

8. The Rev. X. Alans, .n Welt.in— 1894 to 
i8yO. 

.V The Rev. J. I-erdinand Taunt— i.'lh Sun- ,^, The Rev. Theodore .M. I'eek— 18(/) to 

day after Trinity, 1870, to Lent, 1878. 1898. 

4. The Rev. Henry T. ( ire.^t.ry— .\sh W ed- 10. The Rev. Paul F. Hoffman— ist Sunday 

nesday, 1878. to Hdy Innocents, i88j. after Trinity, 1898 to iyo2. 

o , X 1 1 n ct 1 I- t II 1902-1904 — The Rev. ^Fillidee Walker. 

V Rev. Orlando I . Starke\- — I'.aster Dav, ^ -^ t ,-> 



C. II. P.. Treni; 
i8-(., tn W hitsi 



1883. to Lent. 1885. 



1 904- 1 906 — S u ]) p 1 i e s . 
906-1907 — The Rev. F. H. Stedman. 
(The Rev. Peter L. Shei-ard— Lent. 1885. to 1907-1908— The Rev. .Xdelhert Mcdini 
nth Sunday after Trinity.) iyo8— The Rev. C. S. M. Stewart. 




HISTORIC GROTON 



The Work of the Anna Warner Bailey Chapter, D. A. R. 
of Groton and Stonington 

By GRACE D. WHEELER 

'T fifty VL'ars a,i;n. tluTc lived mi ,|uciilly waxU Old I'lirt (iri^wnld, with its gio- 
l.aniliirt estate, limis and patriotic, but gliastly historic niLMiiory 
1 of Stdiiingtdii, (if l\e\iihui(_niary days, was the cause of imbuing 
the name nf l)a\. Mrs. SldCiuiili with zeal in the service nf those 
thev ha.l left their Revolutionary descendants, who formed i )etober 
f.,r Xew Orleans. nth, lS(,r.. in Washington, D. t/., the Xational 
La., where .Mr. Day accumulated in business a .Soeiet\ of The Daughters of the .\merican Kev- 
liandsome fortune and u|ion returning north, for olution. (.'ertain it was, that she responded 
;i summer home, saw and purchased this beauti- prompll) to the call for help, which came to her 
ful estate, later known as Walnut ( irove or the from .Mrs. II. \ . Moynton. \'ice-i'resident Gen- 
Day I'laee. It is situated otif the public roail, eral, in charge of the organization of chapters, 
but reache<l bv passing throu.gh the gate at the who desire<l tliat daughters of the heroes of the 
lod.ge, where wending \our way in a .green l\e\dlutiou should assist in forming chapters in 
meadow, under archin.g trees and over bridges, every city, town and county of Connecticut, which 
you reach at last, the handsome mansion built should foster patriotism and education in the 
there bv Mr. Tames I. Day and beautified durin.g principles of our government and also |)reserve 

pendeiice that our ancestors endured. 

.Mrs, .Slocomb came at once to Stonington seek- 
ing members for this new society and called at 
mv home to secure help in tracing those eligible 
ti.i membership. Thus m\ name stands first after 
the Re.gent, as the secon.l charter member. In 
.\ngust, iS.,^, .Mrs. .Slocomb scut out letters of 

and .Stonington, and lal-r in the month held an 

ble and desirous of forming a dialler of the 
1 )aughters of the American Revolution, which or- 
ganization was later named .\nna Warner Bailey, 

in lioiior of C,roton"s most (h'stingnisbed patriotic 
woman of Revolutionary days. 
o„in-ton and visiu-d friends, while seeking a The brst regular meeting ..f this eh.apter was 

•antiful loeali..n for a li..me. which she fonii.l liel.l Se].lember l,:;tli, iSo.V al .Mrs. Slocomb's 

narv li.uises into the ,,nr modern and nni(|ne .Xalional ll.,ard .it Waslnngloii. There were 

.■sign, which sl.inds there tod;i\, on .Moimment fourteen ladies present an.l other ofTicers were 

reel, she named it "Daisx (rest over Cn.ton." cli..sen, vi/. : .Mrs. juigene I'.aker, registrar; 

I'erh.ips livini' ill lli<> verv shadow of Cr.iton .Miss (.race D. Wheeler, vice-registrar; .Miss 



later, when he o 


ccnpied it for 


the s^ 


eason. Merc 


his family li\ed 


in lu.xury, c 


iitertai 


iiiing friends 


and bringing n 


ot a little s., 


cial . 


listincti.m to 


.Stonington. 








.\ni..ng this f: 


imilv ..f sever; 


x\ beai 


iitiful .laugh- 


ters. was .\bby. 


who married 


(iillil 


.ert Harrison 


Sloe, mill, the we 


.Idiiig occurrii 


ig am 


id much liap- 


piness in this h( 


.use and later 


■thev 


went to live 


in .\ew ( )rleans 


. After trave 


dling 


much abroad 


and at home and 


1 ex])eriencin'o- 


niany 


eventful epi- 


sodes in social 


life, bearing 


with 


fortitude the 


loss of her luisl 


nnd an.l with 


1 eipia 


1 e(|uaiiiniity. 


the hapi y inarr 


iage of her ■ 


l.inglil 


er. to Count 


l)i. r.raz/a Sav^ 


;-irgiiati of It;! 


il\. A 


Irs. Slocomb 


came back in 1: 


Iter \ears. t.. 


her e; 


;irlv home in 



ights tow( 



lulia .\verx. secretarv ; and Mlss Sarah 11. Mor- 



HISTOKIC GK O J ON 



35 



'^'<\\\. treasurer. 'J'lie lli'.-ir.I nf Manas^eiiiciit was 
Mrs. Daniel Morgan, Mrs. I'redcric Bill, since 
deceased, and Mrs. Belton .\. Copp, while the 
si.xteen charter members were Mrs. C. H. Slo- 
cnni!). Miss Crace D. \\heoler, Mrs. Isaac P. 
r.nuse. .Mi-s Sarah il. Mcr-an. Mrs. J. O. .Spi- 
eer, Mrs. j-.u-ene I.. Baker, Mrs. jjenrv II. 




MRS. .WNA W.\U 



Stnddanl. Mrs. Elisha Thnnias. .Mrs. Frederic 
Bill, .Mi-s .Mary j. .\very. Mrs. Belton .\. 
f..|)|., .Mrs. Daniel Morgan. Miss Julia () 
.\very, Miss Cora .\very. Miss Benlah Star- 
key, Mrs. X. S. Fish. 

In .\])ril, 1894, the first meeting in Stonington 
was iield at Mrs. !-. !',. Xoyes' home. The K 
gent used a gavel, ])resented to her hy the chap- 
ter, and made of oak from a rafter in Mnti'er 
I'.ailey's house highl\- polished ami with an in 
scrii tion on a silver plate. There were fweni > 
live i>re>enl. Within ihe year, there were i".; 
meniljers, making with one exce|)tion the large.-i 
chapter in the state. Three years later there were 
130 members and seven real daughters of Revo- 
Intiimary heroes had been found and presented 

at W'ashinglnn. .\bout this time Mrs. Slocomb 
was re(|uested to allow licr name to be used for 
State Regent. l)Ut declined the honor, saying, slie 
"fell convinced that the naughters of Connecti- 
cut would be best served by remaining where she 

as we glance along the variou> iines of work, car- 



ried successfully to a grand fmish, for in less than 
three months after her apix)intment as Regent, 
she had begun consulting with Congressman 
Charles Russell as approaching the United States 
authorities in regard to the wall and grounds of 
I'ort Grisvvold and the Monument Mouse, so that 
it should be a fitting reception hall for the patri- 
otic public, who visit it in such multitudes every 
}ear, 1,200 names being inscribed on the visi- 
tors' liook in two months. She was successful 
in her good work and the ( ieneral .\ssembly made 
us custodians of the house, later granting three 
hundred dollars a year for care and repays. 

Right upon this, the chapter sent those num- 
erous petitions, 150 or i6o, to Congress, asking 
for the consecrated soil which rightfully be- 
longed to F'ort GriswokTs battle ground, lying 
directly east, which was later incorporated into 
the grounds of the old redoubt by the L'niteil 
States government. Tliesu ])rinted words can 
scarcely convey the amount of thought, work and 
time needed to accomplish this purchase, but the 
sincere thanks of all patriotic people are given 
this chapter for preventing the buikling of houses, 
which was fast encroaching u])on this iiistoric 
ground. 

Our meetings were generally held at the Bill 
Library, but as the Fairie Masque, a charming 
iilav, written bv Mrs. Slocomb and lield in the 




.\ew London Theatre, by our society in June. 
1895, proved ,so successful, the proceeds, four 
hundred dollars, were used to fit \\\> the little 
stone monument liou>e. which had been voted 
by the Monument .\ssociatioii 1, ,r their use and 
granted to us by the Stale, so that . >n the >ixth 
of Se|)tember, iSi;4. the ll,^lh .-mniversary of 



HISTORIC GKOrON 



the massaci 
Sivcn over 



at Gi-dtun Ilcis'lU 
1.) the Re,!;ent am 



tile keys were 
the hmise was 



senthig ehureh. state, army, navy, art, hterat 
wealth and fashion, whd ah listened attenti 
to a speech by Hon. C A. Russell, and a p 
written by our life poetess, Rose llawlln 
Lathrop, was read by Mrs. Clara 11. W hid 



.\t sunset, Chinese 
_' monument and h 



i-ns Hash 
while h 



dyaril, where he ])aid tribute money of a York 
llin^' to a tidy, little woman, living in the 
lie building, from whom he received the key 
the monument, and so this house has been 
■u|)ied li\ different people till the .Anna W'ar- 
• r.aile\ Chapter took charge in 1X1)4. 
The next meeting after the foriual opening 
s held at -Mrs. .Sjocomh's and the society, 
-<iugh the treastn-er. Miss .Morgan, presented 
r Regent with a jewelleil hailge. rc>presenting 
■ symbolical spinning wheel, made of blue en- 
lel with a diamond in the center and In the 
1 of each of the thirteen spokes. It is need- 




MONI Ml 



i.i;lil tl 
Id he 



was indeed ],.,s to say that .Mrs. .SI,, comb resp,.nde(l feel- 

\\e sc-ircely ingly and titliiigly and (hen mentioned in her 

1 Ibis house yiarly report that she had secured seven nation- 

1 to accom- al members for a Louisiana chapter and noniiuat- 

tlie |)atriotic ed a friend as Regent, to rej^resent them in 



e notr it w;i- 
lumeiil and 



ig, rel;ites. 
•is, ted .\lt. 



Ibe glorious nioiit 
r h.mie. .gave a n 
.Mrs. Dell. Raiid^ 
ill receiving In , 
N ,,f .\ew ^■ork 



loher our Ke.geiit, 
t.i the .Stale Ke- 



HISTORIC GKOTOX 



37 



form of cannon and homljs, and cakcb and liny 
United States Hags were in abundance. A short 
time after ^Irs. \\ illiam D. JMoss entertained our 
Kegent at her home in Westerl}-, where she met 
a number of Rhode Island ladies, who later be- 
came members of our chapter, and ever since, 
one meeting yearly is held at W Lsierl\ and 
Stonington, always well sustained by the mcni- 
uers at home and from Groton. 

In June, i«y5, -Mrs. Slocomb was chosen 
chairman of the chapter committee and pro- 
moter of the national society of the Children 
uf the American Kevolution and formed six 
local societies in New London County, and 
one in Louisiana, viz.: Ihonias Starr at East- 
ern Point, Thomas Avery at Poquonnock, 
Jonathan Brooks at X'evv London, Col. Led- 
yard at Groton, \\ illiam Latham (or Powder 
.\lonkeyj at Stonington, Samuel Ward at 
Westerly, and Old Glory at .\ew Orleans. It 
would require pages to tell of all the work 
done by these children and their leaders, of 
tablets placed upon historic houses and ob- 
jects, one ui)on the Whitefield tree in Stoning- 
ton in front of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fer- 
nando \\ heeler, and again honi_iring W hite- 
lield by placing another tablet on the old 
brciwn r.arber house at Center (Jrolon, now 
I wned by Percy Colver, where W'hitefield 
preached in 17O4. Tablets on the Ebenezer 
.Avery and Anna Warner Bailey- houses in 
Groton, a stone placed with ceremonies at the 
grave of Hulda Hall and a boulder erected at 
Daniel Stanton's grave in Stf)nington, testify 
to their patriotic ardor. 

But to return to our work in the .\nna W'ar- 
ner i!aile\' chapter, of which there is enough 
to fill a good-sized l)ook. We find at the regu- 
lar meetings, much business concerning by- 
laws and amendments, committees named for 
souvenir china, armorial shields, and .souvenir 
silver bells, representing the flannel petticoat 
which Mother Bailey gave to our patriotic an- 
cestors to make wadding for their guns to tire 
upon the ICnglish. The nuiiu-rdns meetings 
ol the Grotnn Tea Chil) and \ew London 
i^cading Chd> are often mentinnr.I. Clothing 
and money arc re|i,.rted senl to Mr-. U..sc 
llawlbcrne Lathn.]) 1". .r her hosi.ital work 



among the poor in New York city, which was 
very gratefully appreciated. Improvement of 
the well on the monument grounds was made 
by securing the old well curb on the new post 
otfice site in .\ew London, which was origi- 
nally owned by Mrs. Slocomb"s great grand- 
father, Capi. Llisha 1 Human. 

In i8y6 Mrs. Slocomb was chairman of the 
national hymn committee and made an ad- 
dress at the Continental Congress in W ash- 
ington on this subject. Later Mrs. Clara B. 
W hitman of ( iroton was elected regent, and 
Mrs. SK)Comb was appointed chairman of the 
monument house committee. 

W hen Mrs. Slocomb found need of a flag for 
decorative purposes, she was informed that 
there never was a Connecticut state flag es- 
tablished by law. None of the flags carried 
b_\' Connecticut troops, from Colonial days to 
tlie present time, was ever adoptetl by the 
General Assembly, though there were tliirly- 
five different designs extant, while reil, blue 
yellow, and once green flags were used to dis- 
tmguish Connecticut troops. Our chapter 
submitted several designs to the (ieneral .\s- 
sembly for a legalized state Hag. ( )ne was ap- 
1 roved, which is made of bhie bunting ij l)y 
18 feet. It has the state shield in white, bor- 
dered in silver and gold, and the old colonial 
seal of three clinging grape vines, of strength 
and beauty, wreathing themselves upward, 
freighted with full fruitage, and said to be 
symbolical of religion, liberty and knowledge. 
I'.eneath the shield, on a silvery streamer, in 
blue letters, bordered with brown and gold, 
we read our stale motto. Oui, transtulet, sus- 
tinet. Translated, He who hath transplanted, 
will sustain. On the staff was attached an e.\- 
cpiisite silver presentation plate, suitablv in- 
scribed. 

This flag became the Connecticut official 
state flag, and on .\ng. ijih, iSijj, was i)re- 
sented by our chapter to Governor L.irrin A. 

after it was hoisted on the staff to the peak of 
the Capitol's dome, where it was s.-ilnted by ilie 
firing of thirteen guns. 

( )n Aug. i^th, lihe governor received at 
t amp Cooke ihe silk Hag for llie governors of 



38 HISTORIC GROTON 

the state, from our chapter. Senator Lee spoke al least 10,000 persons were present and it was 

of the thirteen stripes, representing- the thir- difficult to get passage across the Thames. A 

teen original states, saying, if the names company called "The Ledyard \'olunteers," 

should be written upon them, Connecticut manned the fort, and in the line of march were 

ought to have her name at the head rf the list iS sui\i\ 1^ t the ma-^sacre. some showing 

because of her nnhlc histriry : for dniin.^ the ^tus m 1 iIki-, with ])ullet rent garments. 

Re\iiluti(inary wax. nmre Iroups wu 1. 1 ii-^c 1 ( )nc xilu 111 li 1 I t\vi. luiles in his vest which 

fn.m Connecticut than from any ..tlui -,t ite w <. le ni i k n that iiicnn irable (la\- in 1781 

with one exceptidu, and during the ( ml w 11 \liui lu cs ipi 1 death from the hidlets ])y 

she sent almut 55,000 soldiers |(. the li til h i\iii^ i 1 iiti-h fiicer ^tiilT his night cap into 




Inne. lS,>S. Mrs. SI. 



cd t.. \W' Mi-ati..,, 1,_\ ll.in \\ ,ll,a 
Later (,nv. Wnlc.itt was iilaced : 



Jacksonville, kla., during llir S], 
war. Onr chapter gax.' ni mo 
rials ,$1,^5. Oil tlu' <>th of Sc,,lci 
a fitting cclcbr.atioii was obser 



this momimoiit was l„iill which siaii.ls there in 
.all lis gr.an.leiir to-,la> . 

And so on, , low 11 the years, each succeeding 
Sept. oih brings with it some fitting celebra- 
tion, .and ].alriotic hearts t.ake up wiUinglv the 



aken ,al tli,' ta 
•ston .and \<wv 



^epl,. iSoS. 
Inch h.id 



Miss M.arv W 



JfJSrORIC GEOrON 



39 



stone of tlie Groton iiKmmuc'iU. .Mrs. Sara 
Kinney made an address and Mrs. Slocomb 
presented a water color painting of the new- 
state flag to Battery B, First Connecticut 
Heavy Artillery \olimteers. 

In October, 1898, Mrs. W hitman, on accmnit 
of ill iK-alth, resiynt'd, and Mrs. .Slcicdinl) once 
ni(irc became our leader. in this same 
miinth, the monument house, which had been 
closed several weeks undergoing repairs, 
amounting in cost to over $800, was reopened 
amid interesting ceremonies. .\ sealed box of 
records was buried under the main entrance, 
and after addresses and songs, the flagging 
was placed over it. 

The photographs of the little stone house 
.sold well to its many visitors. It scarcely 
seems possible, but in the summer months of 
two years 10.000 persons \ie\ved this historic 
place. The chapter has disiribuled many val- 
uable, large water colors and artistic colored 
photographs of the flags to the military and 
\arious libraries and societies at a cost of $250. 
We also published a l)ooklet by Miss Benjamin 
on local history. 

I'ive large volumes, given by Mrs. Slocomb, 
were filled with a cartoon history of the Span- 
is!i-.\merican war, prepared by our historian, 
Mrs. Ira Hart Palmer of Stonington, and 
sometime after Miss Emma W. Palmer of 
Stonington completed a number of volumes 
of cartoon history of the same war. Tlie C. .\. 
K. did a large amount of relief work during 
this war and two of their ninnber became sol- 
d.iers of Uncle Sam. 

Our chapter was honored by n re(|uest from 
Washington to have its work, the state Hag 
and monument house, forwarded as a report to 
the Smithsonian Institution, this being the 
first report including D. A. R. work, published 
at the expense of the government. It contained 
thirty plates, one of which was the momiment 
house. 

In iX(,(;. two of our silk tlags were presented 
to the Third Regiment at Camp Lounsbury 
and in this year, plans were made to add to the 
monument house, a large hall. 47 by 27 feet 
and one-lliird hi-lier tli.in tlie ]. resent building, 
to be called the .Memorial Aime.x in meniorv 



of our heroic dead of the Spanish-American 
war, the first mommient to be raised in the 
state to that cause. 

At this time, news of the assassination of 
King Humbert was learned with feelings of 
sorrow liy the world. ( )ur chapter, through 
the kind thought of .Mrs. SI<icoiub, had Tifl:'a- 
ny prepare a most e.\(|uisite and appropriate 
memorial allnim, with the arms of Italy and 
illuminated lettering, on delicate white vellum, 
with silver and gold mountings, containing 
parchment leaves to be inscribed by the offi- 
cers and members of each Connecticut chap- 
ter, and with the national officers also, ex- 
pressing to Queen Margherita, of Italy, the 
love and support of the patriotic American 
women. The volume was presented by the 
Countess Di Brazza, who was granted a long 
and delightful audience at the Queen's court. 

Before the Queen's reply had reached us our 
own beloved President had been shot and was 
lying wounded unto death. Our chapter sent a 
letter of sympathy to Mrs. McKinley, and 
later upon the President's death extended a])- 
propriate resolutions. 

Mrs. Slocomb made many appeals to Con- 
gress to secure the protection and adornment 
of the old forts, those important relics of the 
.American Revolution, and at last the point 
was gained. Instead of selling ofT the .guns, 
ordnance and buildings of Fort (iriswold, and 
then dismantling the fort, the old battleground 
was converted into a memorial i)ark owned 
Ijy the State of Connecticut and in care of our 
chapter. All the guns, eleven cannon and pro- 
jectiles and 2000 caiuion balls were ilonated to 
this chapter by the secretary of war, to deco- 
rate the ])ark. 

Through the hearty co-operation of Miss 
May Williams of .\'ew London our chapter be- 
came the custodians of one of I'ncle .'sam's 
Spanish-.\iuerican w.-ir tro|)hies, a gmi from 
the Admiral Cervera's llagship. the ".Marie 
•llieresa," which fired the first shot in the na- 
\al battle (^f .Santiago. -So on the western slojic 
of Groton Monument grounds the trophy can- 
non was mounted on its carriage on a substan- 
tial stone found.-ition, e\en the shield which 
protected it on the llagship being sent bv the 



40 



HISTORIC GROTON 



government. On June 17th, 1902. a great cel- 
cl)ratiun was held in Groton liy the Anna 
Warner Bailey chapter and their friends. 
Lapt. Richard P. Hobson, the orator of the 
day, was escorted by detachments of the \-a- 
rious local national organizations to Groton 



IK 



I he 



lahhc 



Revolution f(ir the purpose of raising money 
to purchase land for a monument park. Later 
-Mr. Morton Plant placed there a fountain, as 
a memorial to Capt. William Latham, who 
once owned the land, and was in the Revolu- 
liduary uar at (IriPion Heights. 

.\t the un\eiling of the fountain a most in- 
teresting historical paper on the subject was 
written and read by Master Joseiih A. Gopp. 

.Some nmnlhs after W(jrk f(ir the Giilnnial 

hiiuses, was taken up by Aliss lunnia \V. 
I'almer. .Miss Julia C .pp and nivself. 




.Elates th 
I'rrs'idc 






rvise l-ort Gns- 
necessary $8,000 



d pennies, \\ 



\\ ashingt..n, 1 ). ( ., ;in( 
si-leclinL! the accrpird 



iful basket I 
vnnte Ik. we 
vas ap]...nuc 



V wnidMWs and a b.n.ilhan I'.r.M.ks ,,1 
ial win.k.w ;il the east. .Mcives an,l tir 
.f nH.nis. with a janilor's mom, and cas 
I, .1,1 and pn.lert l..ane,| and <1. mated a 
es. were desi-ned I.T this musrtini, ai 



itiih by the stale, during ihc Kevdluli 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



ary war and transferred to the L'nited States 
in 1S13. now again became the property of 
the state. Fort Griswold was no more. Shortly 
after the C. A. R. and the school children of 
Groton raised a flag in Fort Griswold Memo- 
rial Park, the exercises being attended by mir 
cliai)ter. Afterward, as Mrs. Sloconib's health 
made it necessary for her to lay aside many 
duties, she tendered her resignation as regent 
and Mrs. Clara 1!. Whitman was elected to 
the position, which she filled most acceptably. 
Mrs. Whitman began her work by asking 
the war department to turn over to the Fort 
Griswold Commission, five gun carriages, viz. : 
Four barbette carriages for 8-inch Rodman 
gun, fmnt pindle, and mie barliette carriage 
for JO-pounder rit1e, front ])indle. They were 
already on the gnninds and soon became our 
property. 

In 1904 we note the presentation to the 
State of Connecticut of a turnstile su])])orte<l 
by cobble pillars, placed in the north wall of 
the lower fort, near the new highway, for tlie 
perpetual continuance of a footpath through 
the forts, from north tn south. A handsomely 
painted sign was also placed at the foot of 
School street, puinting the wax in the monu- 
ment. 

.Mrs. Whitman had now an arduous task 
njion her heart and hands, to raise the neces- 
sary $8,000 and to bring to completion the 
work of the new anne.x, togetlier with many 
other calls for money, among which was the 
Connecticut column in Continental Mall at 
W ashington, our chapter raising about $50 for 
this object. The annual Together Meeting of 
the Daughters in the state was held at Groton 
on Oct. nth, 1905, this day being memorable 
as the birthday of the national society and the 
birthday of our patron saint, Anna Warner 
Hailey.' 

( )ur mend)ers ga\e and solicited, while the 
C. A. K. i)resented nearly $i.cxx). besides the 
Jonathan I'.rooks window, which was given 
hy the Xew l.on.l<.n C. A. R. society. The lit- 
tle state button was sold to those who wanted 

l;irge return. 



.Sentiment culminated in a grand fair, which 
netted $260. This, though a great help, was in- 
adequate, and w'hen in October Mrs. Whitman 
announced to the chapter that the remaining 
S2.000 had been given by Mr. Morton F. 
Plant, great was our rejoicing, as the gift was 
entirely s])ontaneous and unsolicited. A trib- 
ute of thanks to him should be here recorded 
by the Anna Warner I'.ailcy chajiter, for his 
thoughtful aid, ])roni])ted by his generous 
heart in this patriotic work. We also record 
another gift of a memorial plate of blue and 
white china, designed by John Tolc.ti .\dams, 
re])resenting Col. Ledyard. 

With this load ofif our minds, attention was 
directed to raising mone_\- for the purchase of 
the three lots on the east side of the fort, 
wiiich required as our regent said, "A long 
pull, a strong pull and a pull all together." At 
last the annex was entirely completed and the 
long anticipated opening day, June 28th, 1907, 
arrived, bringing sunshine and blue skies, for 
the many guests, who came to do honor, not 
only to the patriotic dead, but to the patriotic 
li\ing, who had worked so assidiionslv for he 
consummation of this work. 

Lest }-ou liave never seen the hoii>e, let mc 
tell you, tliat the interior of the building is 
well adapted to showing the relics. The roof 
is high and the room well lighted, the walls 
are decorated with heraldic shields and pic- 
tures of historic meaning, while swords, mili- 
tary clothing and apparel of ye ohlen time 
may be clearly seen in their cases. As vou 
enter this building, you see our state motto 
and seal on the eastern wall in gilt letters, be- 
tween .\merican Hags, -lie who transi^lanted 
still sustains," and on the western wall is the 
seal of the Daughters, in the blue and silver 
colors of the chapter against the background 
of two slate Hags. With the room full of in- 
teresting objects where shall we look first? Ik- 
sure and see the three iiictnres of Mother Bai- 
ley at diflferent ages and the portrait of Abi- 
gail Hinnian. Ga/'e at the old Avery house and 
l".l)enezer Avery's histi>ric honu'. In one of 
the lirick fireplaces, see the andirons and crane 
which once belonged to Mrs. j'.ailey, and, lest 
I weary you, go and lo,,k for vomvself. 



42 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



Our regent, Mrs. Clara B. Whitman, pre- 
sented the house to the state, which was ac- 
cepted in an address by Gov. Woodruff. Af- 
terward Hon. Jonathan Trumbull of Norwich, 
"a Son of the Revolution," made the historical 
speech of the day, and the nicmurial window 



d. Ai 



vas sung 
in history 
has since 
is niiw \( 



,ith ent'hu- 
was again 
•esigned as 
ry capal)l\ 



tun Heights, when our chapter keeps open 
house, at the new memorial annex and enter- 
tains hospitably several hundreds, who 
view the new room and the many interest- 
ing relics with admiring e}-es. These are in- 
creasing daily as our citizens realize that here 
is a safe tleposit for their treasures, so that 
the remark has even been ventured that "oiii 
memorial house is n<it yet large enough." 

We see in mind the ynnnger generation, fol- 
lowing in the f(i<>t>tep> nf their predecessors, 
by rebuilding and rededicating in patriotic 
fervor, a> nu-nibers of the Anna Warner liai- 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



Center Groton 



By DAVID A. DABOLL 



■^yujp UROKEX and narrow valley, split 
^^i3^ uito two sections by a central for- 
1^1^^ --St covered ridge, sloping irregu- 
arl_\- from the southern border tif 
.he present town of Ledyard to 
the bruad and open plains upon the sound, 
forms what ma\- be called the middle section 
of the Groton of to-day. Its western half is 
the basin of a river, originally much greater 
in volume than now, whose waters long fur- 
nished power for mills of various kinds, the 
wheels of which ha\e mostly ceased to turn, 
or have already crumbled back to dust. In 
the upper part of the valley, in the shadow of 
the rocky ridges of Candlevvood Hill, which 
here forms its eastern boundary, lies the little 
village whose story it is ours to tell, \alley 
and plains, river and village, all once bore the 
quaint aboriginal name of Pocpionnock, but the 
river, from its sources to tide water, became 
known in early settlement days as "The Great 
Brook," a title which has been perpetuated 
in deed and record, and the village, after ha\ - 
iiig for a century and a cjuarter fulfilled the 
conditions which entitled it to its later name of 
Center Groton, received its belated christening 
as such, in the tine irony of circumstance, at 
a date when the reasons for it were passing or 
had already passed away. 

The twentieth century tourist, consulting his 
road map as he rolls in his automobile along 
its quiet street, sees little in its relative posi- 
tion and still less in its appearance to justify 
its name. He does not know and he does not 
stop to find out. that when the tnwn of firoton 
comprised an area more than twice as large 
as it does at present, this spot w-as, approxi- 
mately speaking, its geographical center; and 
that as a corallary thereto it liecame its eccle- 
siastical, corporate, and educational center. 
Twx) highways running east and west and 



north and south respectively, here cross one 
another at right angles. The first and more 
important one of the two was, long before the 
\vhite invasion, an aboriginal trail worn by the 
feet of generations of sa\age warriors, and 
leading from the Narragansett country to the 
shores of the Pequot river, now the Thames. 
The second, similar in its origin, led from the 
open plain around the s^und to the JMohegat, 
country at the north. Into each of these at 
various distances, branching trails, now high- 
ways, converged. 

"Once churches had towns ; now, towns 
liave churches." In this brief sentence, from 
Slime forgotten essayist, is to be found an epi- 




ir the 



dc 



wh 



tome of the reasons 
tline of many a .\e\ 
like this one. still holds its ])lace on the map. 
although in the e.xpressise i)hrase of kcn.-in it 
may have long "less lived than lasted." Hero 
at the crossing of the highways, then hardly 
more than bridle paths, by means of which 
the scattered farmers niaintaincil a nei.L;liborly 
intercourse w^ith one anotlier, the fcininKTS of 
(iroton, who believed that the only safe path- 
way to heaven was through the portals of 
the Estal)lished Church, reared the first meet- 
ing house in the town, when.- il duld he most 



44 



HISTORIC GROWN 



I.y it they liiiilt tlic nuler school Imusc. within <listurl. the ecclesiastical mouuiMily ami niuiiut- 

\vhnse walls n.. iiiatkr Imw limited the curri- '^ny, and vex the souls uf those who believed m 

ciihini nii-ht be, the di>ci]dine. like that of an eiidiiriny democratic theocracy. The bonds 

the church, was complete. Within a stone's which held church and state together grew 

throw of the two was the dwelling of the min- weaker and weaker and finally snapped asun- 

ister, whose rates, fixed by law, were to be der. 

collected from believer,-, and unbelievers alike, 'fhen came a time when the center of ortlio- 

jieaceably. if ]Mi»ible, forcibly if necessary, lioxy m the town, like the ".star oi b.mpire, 

Thus they established an ecclesiastical, ed- Proved westward, and the church at I'-kiuou- 

ucational and intellectual center which was nock, no longer sustained by unwilling lax- 

hkewisc to be a corporate center, since the payers, mo\ ed west with the tide. I'he hope 

meeting llouse wa^ lo serve a. town hou>e of the founders wa^ a \anished dream before 

also. Doubtless. Mewing the situation under the generation that succeeded them had passed 

fading seventeenth centur\ li,L;hls. they ex- "\ er 1.. the silent majority. The town had 

pected it h.ng to endure, and in time to draw churches in plenty, but the church n. i longer 

imto itself the elements which should make it lu.d the l.iwn. 

a business an,l s.a-ial center as well. Under That the site of the place was a clearing 

Mimewhat greater in area than now, and culti- 
vated in sa\age fashion at the time of ihe 
V, hile invasion is a matter of tradition forti- 

lomi time lo time even down to the last ceii- 




me .luruiL; th 



the Ji.lh 



,piol fortress ..n .Mystic Hill. 
Ihe sL.ry of that memorable h,L;lu is tohl 
ewhere, but a reference to the dramatic 
ircli of the \ictors from the -^cene of slaugh- 



lUS 






Xew I'.n^^ 



aciii.L; Ihe spMt where the hrst i 

si 1 m (Mlnni.-il times; wit 

se grown 1- .•..•.•idemir or ever 






Ca]ilain .Mas-n and hi 



Mill the subject, and ihe hint SO 
helps iM negati\i' the |iopular 






ill al 
his 



HISTORIC GROTON 



45 



resistance to his base of suijplics, would have 
been the dictate of mihtary reasoning and 
common sense. Crippled in numbers, encum- 
bered with his wounded, his ])rovisions ex- 
hausted, and his ammunition nearly sn, he was 
obviously in no condition fur furllu-r (iflensive 
operations. He was guided by native allies 
whose loyalty was of proof and to whom the 
whole region was a familiar one. Giving him 
credit for those qualities of leadership which 
had won for him ''golden opinions" from his 
superiors in other campaigns, the writer long- 
ago came to the conclusion that his line of re- 
treat that morning took him directly past the 
spot wdiere, sixty-seven years later, the first 
church in Groton was erected. 

It is probable that the \alley again resound- 
ed to the tramp of armed men about one month 
later, when the last collected force of the Pe- 
quots which then remained in the vicinity was 
surrounded and captured in the Pine Swamp a 
few miles to the north by Captain Stoughton 
and his Alassachusetts troops. Then followed 
a long silence, one of desolation and death. 
The region was a part of a conquered coun- 
try, over which two colonies were to contend 
for the right of eminent domain, and the con- 
cjuered for the most part belonged to that 
quiet class which a later authority has defined 
as being "the only good Indians." Eight years 
were to elapse before John Winthroi) the 
younger, was to appear with his few follow- 
ers on the western shore of the Thames. 

The surviving seventeenth century records 
of Groton are to be found in the archives of 
New London, of which it remained a pari f.u" 
sixty years. In the early division of lands 
east of the Thames those lying in and around 
Center Groton are unnoticed. They mostly re- 
mained in commons until Groton attained her 
corporate independence. So far as we know 
no settler made his home there until near the 
end of the century. .\'cir is it easy to discrim- 
inate chronologically between the \'ery few 
who came before its slatn-^ as a town center 
was fixed, as we have oiillinnl in our intn>- 
.lucti.Mi, and th..se wlio followed <oon after. 
The precise date at whidi W .-iltrr I'.odin.ulon 
reared his cabin one-third of a nnle iiorlh of the 



cross roads reniams to l)e defined. The same 
may be said of Thomas Dunbar, land trader, 
tavern keeper, and builder and operator of 
Dunbar's mill on the (Jreat llrook at the west, 
whose "P.ig House" just to the east of P.oding- 
ton's place pimctuates the later records here 
and there. Put in the decades between 1660 
and 1690 the more easily accessible and more 
easily tilled if not more fertile lands of the 
town w-ere not being neglected. The Smiths, 
the Averys and the Aforgans had early made 
their homes at the lower end of the Poquon- 
nock valle}', and the time was to come when 
the descendants of the first two were to lie 
the principal citizens and land holders in the 
locality with which we are especially con- 
cerned. 

Along the banks of the Mystic and the 
Thames and in the more distant "Poquetan- 
nock Grants," groups of sturdy pioneers, 
whose names are of familiar memory had 
cleared and were cultivating their homestead 
acres. They were town builders all ; it was 
an era when race suicide was unknown. an<l 
i",ew settlers were continuall}' coming in to 
push farther into the interior of the trad 
whose periphery only was as yet dotted with 
their scattered farms. 

It is not to be forgotten that "the church 
liad the town," that the absence of any one 
from the sanctuary at the tap of the sabbath 
drum furnished a proper subject for judicial 
i'i(|uiry; and that in extreme cases, even the 
whipping ]io>t and the slocks were esteemed 
a|)plianccs witli which to pi'rsuade men into 
ways of pleasantne^s and paihs of j)eace. 

close the desire for a separate and more con- 
venient church establishment, fanned by un- 
reasonable and even minatory opposition, 
should at la-t, like llie "Spirit of Calhnun-" 
be "stalking large, a gli'aming form." There 
is a toucli of grim humor in the i)etition to the 
General Court, ignored, denied, and renewed, 
for the privilege to "imbodye themsel\-es into 
church estalr. in order to ihe comfortable en- 
joyment of the ordinances of G; id." The meas- 
ure of discomfort inxclved in wiiuer trijis by 
b:.d roails and worse ferries t.. the fireless 



nisi OR IC GROTON 



sanctuary i 


.n the f; 


irther ■ 


.ide of tl 


le Thames 


we can cas 


.ily ciun 


prehen, 


.1: and t.: 


J many of 


tl.ose indep 


endent f: 


arniers 


there was an added 


element ijf disc(.inifc: 


irt in the autocratic niinis- 


trations of 


the Re\ 


erend 


Gurdon I 


Saltonstall. 


A stately 


Puritan of the 


Puritans, 


an aristo- 


crat til his 


t^n-er 


tips, '^ 


,vho felt 


in himself 


few nf the 1 


iihrniilie 


s -.1 In- 


inianity a 


nd was in- 


tiilerent nf 


them in 


nthers 


:" the \w 


ist forceful 


character o 
unfcirtunate 


f his da 
ly the c 


y and 
hanipii 


,L;eneratio 
m of the 


n, he was 
' worst as 


\>ell as the 


he^t elei 


nents . 


.f a dyin^ 


; ecclesias- 


tical systei 


n. To 


his pn 


tent intfu 


ence with 


the ( ieiicral 


('nurt \ 


vas lar 


,t;-ely due 


the failure 


nl the vari.. 


us |ira_\e 


rs for a 


sejwrate 


church es- 


tahli'^hnient 


in ( ir.it 


nn whi 


ch were 


laid before 







•fnmph 



common lands sluiuld be sold or (Otherwise 
used for church purposes, and the dwellers 
east of the river had called as their minister 
the Reverend Ephraim W'oodbridge of Kil- 
lingworth, a recent Har\ard graduate, and 
born of an unbroken line of clergymen from 
the days of W'yckliffe down. In the early 
spring of 1703. a committee appointed for the 
purpose reported a sale to Thomas Dunbar 
(already nientinned) id" nineteen acres of the 
pubhc lands fur church purposes. The lo- 
cation of the Meeting House was determined 
as we have seen, and the clearing at Center 
(iroton soon rang with the sound of axe and 
hammer where there were few to be cheered 
or disturljed h\ the echoes. 

At its October session the General Court 
was pleased to ratify these proceedings, and at 
the May session of 1704, also solemnly ap- 
ved of an addition of 20 pounds per annimi 
ti. Mr. Woodbridge's salary, he having agreed 
t'l build his own house witlmut further call 
upnn the ta.xpayers. The fi lundatinns nf the 
house were probably already laid, as the young 
divine had given hostage to fortune on the 
fnurth day of the same month by marrying 
Miss Hannah Morgan, daughter of nne nf the 
"complainants" previously disciplined hy ."-^al- 
tnnstall. His formal ordinatinn in the new 
.Meeting llnu-e tnnk jilace nn the eighth day 
of Xin'ember followdng, and the ("hurch af 
Poquonnock was officially launched upnn the 
ecclesiastical sea. Its history belnngs tn an- 
nther i>en than nurs. as well as that nf the 
rival sect wlmse apnstle was snnn tn appear 
tipi.n the field, and whnse prnselyles were 



dwell nn the east si. 
ni/e a church and Ik 



mil .ectlnn^. 

Inwlv. .-ind lielnre 



:eil acres nl tl 



which the latter leaned fnr suppnii : 1ml the 
-.tnr\ nf Center ( imtnn with Imth elimin.aled 
wimlil be but a re|ietilinn nf that nf Hamlet 
with Handel left mil. 

\i-ars \\,is In ^er\e the cmnnuniity as church 
.iiiil tnwii hmise. nn detailed description has 
been handed dnwii tn us. and even its I'xact site 
li.-is been a iiialter nl smiie iiuc-tinii. 1| prnb- 
ably stnnd a few feet tn the ea^i nl the imw 
niinsed sinre. which la^t was built long after 



HISTORIC GROrOK 



47 



the denicililion of the church in early Revuhi- 
tioiiary time. Its diiiieiisioiis have ah-cady 
been alluded to. It is safe to assume that in 
its construction few of the graces of archi- 
tecture were involved either in exterior or in- 
terior fittings. It was a square, and doubtless 
rather ugly looking building, without chim- 
neys, with entrances on its southern and east- 
ern sides, and crowned by the p)-ramidal or 
hipped roof then much in \iioue. The scanty 
floor space within was reinforced by i^alleries 
upon three sides, the pidpit nxerhung by tin- 
inevitable snunding board occnp\ing the 
fourth. 

The diL;nitaries. ci\il, militar\' or relii^ious, 
who could afford the lu.xury, were, by special 
vote, accorded space, presumably near the 
pulpit in which to build pews for them- 
selves and families. The first to be thus hon- 
ored was John Davie, the first town clerk of 
(iroton. The allotment of seats was a task re- 
(iiiirin.u;' both nerve and judgment on the jiart 
of the committee appointed for the purpose, 
calling as it did for an appraisal ol the relative 
social claims of the worshippers. But the 
power of the town was behind the committee, 
and "being so seated" the claimants wfere 
warned to "remain silent." A like divinity no 
doubt hedged about the committee of one, 
who was charged io "take care of the youthe 
on the Lord's day, that they may not play." 

If the maxim propounded by the great 
French philosopher as to "the nations that have 
no history" can be applied to churches, the 
twenty years pastorate of the Reverend Eph- 
ri.im Woodbridge was doubtless a happy one, 
as no records of it are known to exist. The 
occasional reference to him in the civil records 
touch mostly upon the very worldly matters 
of life, and as such are not of material inter- 
est. He seems to have been popular always, 
tolerant at a time \\hen intolerance was the 
rule with the Standing Order to which he be- 
longed, in short, a worthy representative of 
a class which has been denominated "the moral 
and religious aristocracy of the town." Un- 
like his successor he was untroubled by scru- 
ples concernini;- the minister's rates, nor was 
be hesitant in liis re(nii^itions for what at this 



day would be accoiniled un 
The house to which he c 
in which his six children 
which in the prime of his 



rantable favors, 
eyed his bride, 
e born, and in 
rs he died, was 



constructed by him of materials more enduring 
than those of the Saybrook Platform, to whose 
harsh provisions he is believed to have accord- 
ed but a tacit assent. 

After his death in 1725, the house fiecanie 
the property of his successor in the minis- 
terial office, the Reserend John Owen v\lu) was 
like himself a llarxard graduate; a character 
beloved of all, whose epitaph, "God's faithful 
seer " seems to have been but a just recogni- 
tion of the merits of an unusually worthy man. 
.Mr. Owen was ordained in 1727 and died in 
1753. The Reverend Jonathan Barber the 
third and last minister at Center Groton be- 
came its purchaser in 1762, four years after 
his ordination. A Yale graduate, a man not 
only of liberal education but of liberal ten- 
dencies as well, widely known in the land as 
missionar}- and reformer, and the close friend 
and ally of Whitetield. the traditions of more 
than half a century were |)roperly sustained 
when he took up his abode tmder its generous 
roof tree. 

W'hitefield \isited the ])lace in the summer 
of 1763, and the spacious grounds of the jiar- 
sonage were thronged 1)y a congregation w hich 
no church in the colony could have accom- 
modated, who came from far and near to listen 
to the greatest pulpit orator of the century. Mr. 
F.arber was, in the melancholy words of the 
church records, "t.aken from his usefulness" in 
1765, but dwelt under its roof until his death 
in 1783, and it remained in ])ossession of his 
descendants for nearly half a century longer. 
.-\ parsonage for over sixty years, it has since 
been by turns inn and farm house, and in the 
third century of its usefulness it serves in the 
latter caiiacity to-day, a visible liid< between 
tlie old times and the new . 

Groton became an independent lownvhi]) in 
the year 1705, and the fir>t town meeting wa- 
held at the center in December of that year. 
( hi Al:iy 2.S1I1. i7or.. at a similar gathering the 

were laid bv the apiiointment of .Mr.' |,ilin 



HISTORIC GROTON 



Ulster." A tract 
rd uf the Meet- 



lier fdlldwin-, as the resuU (if a .leal with the 
iil)i(|uit()us ■riioinas Dunhar, the \-.ite was re- 
scinded and ten acres "south of the Meetini; 
House" substituted. Yet the traditions are t<i 
the eiTect that the house and lot soon after 
iiccii|iiLd md iin|iiii\ed li\ All llainard as 
well as tlu sjioiil hduse latci eucted w ei e 
IncatLd in KuiidancL with tlu (.ii^inal \nte 




far as the scho 
le tradition is certainl 
"he schiidl master ;■ 



minister was his friend and sponsor. During 
his incnmheiic}- ".Mistress liarnard" swept the 
.Meeting Ihnise and kept the key, recei\ing for 
her ser\ices the sum of 20 shillings per annum. 

It is ditticnlt to estimate e\en approximately 
the ccimiiensatidii recei\ed l>y this educational 
pioneer fur his weary round of services, but 
it was undduhtedly a meager one, in keeping 
with the times. A comparison with the liberal 
allowances made to the minister is naturally 
si:ggested, but we forbear. 

The date of the erection nf the first school- 
liiiuse which was situated a slmrt distance 
td the north of the Meeting lldnse is uncer- 
tain as IS that df its (lemdliti..n. It lasted 
hdwe\ei till the beginning nf the nineteenth 
ccntur\ 1 he last to teach within its walls 
was the grandtather df the writer, who dis- 
missed his class lather abrui)tl>- one morning, 
when he found that the big stone chimney had 
cdllapsed duimg the night, completely wreck- 

I kiidwii thcic is lid reference in the recor.ls 
1 tlu construction df its successor, which 

\ IS placed at the fdut df the gentle eminence 
1 iidwn as SJiodlhonse Hill dii the west. It did 
i.tit\ Idi It k 1st three ipiarters df a century, 

as gitat as in nn district in tdwii. .\ new anil 
modern buildin^ placeil near the chajiel at the 
east, succeeded it in iSS.v but the did diie. 
cdiiverted int.. a dwelling, still surxives. 

.Save ill the peridds of excitement which 
stirred the reli-idUs field, the histdry df (enter 
(n-dtdii frdiii its settlement ddw n td the Rev- 
dlntidii epdcli is ail uneventful diie. .\iidther 
pell iidt less sympathetic than oiirs has else- 
where traced the rise aii.l i.rd-res. of the nidve- 



li\ 
d w. 



.1 \' 
1 the 



, the 
.•h fd 



si-ht 



JIJSTORJC GKOTOX 



49 



effect iif the movemcnl on llie fortunes of the 
\illaye we have spoken in our introduction. 

The division of the town, in 1725, into two 
ecclesiastical societies, the northern one corre- 
sjionding- to the present town of Ledyard was 
another blow at its prestige as a towMi center. 
In the tempestuous revival ]3eriod, historically 
known as the Great Awakening, and continued 
in an intermittent way from 1741 to 1744, the 
two great leaders of the nM\emeut Parsons 
and Da\-enport, preached there to open air con- 
gregations great in numbers, considering the 
widely distributetl population from which they 
were drawn. 

Between 1720 and 1740 there was brisk land 
trading in which the Avery famil}', moving up 
from the lower Pocjuonnock valley along the 
(Jreat Brook on the west, and the Smiths from 
the eastern shore of Poquonnock Lake, large- 
ly participated. Conspicuous in these deals 
were Thomas Dunbar and Samuel Cunning- 
ham who were among the earliest residents 
iu the place. Samuel Daboll from East Hamp- 
ton, Long Island, became a resident in 171 5. 
Joseph Belton came from Newport about 1725 
and commenced buying upon a liberal scale. 
establishing his home near the foot of Candle- 
wood Hill on the northern side of the post 
road. Scarcely a trace of its site now remains. 
Later his son, Jonas Belton, erected the Belton 
Tavern in the clearing a half mile west of the 
ci^-ners. a building which was one of the land 
marks of the region for generations, and finally 
IH'rished by the torch of an incendiary in 
1852. 

Houses, mostly of small dimensions, arose 
on every hand in the suburbs, of which none 
are left and the names of the occupants even 
are no longer familiar. At the time of great- 
est expansion the smoke of nearly a dozen 
(.himneys ascended from as many clearings 
ami<l the w..ods . .f Candlewond Hill. The for- 
est has for the most ])art reclaimed its own, 
and even the deer has returned to browse by 
the springs wliose once generous flow was the 
1-rimo attractii.n to the sturdy jiioneer. 

church purpo>cs in the year I7()S. ll was taken 
'iown at the I.e.uinning ..I the i-icv. .lulion, and 



a few of its interior panels used in the con- 
struction of the dwelling of Charles Smith, 
now the Daboll homestead, are all that remain 
of it to-day. W ith the exception of the vener- 
able parsonage, whose history we have al- 
ready traced, the latter is now the oldest house 
iii the place. It was purchased in 1805 by 
"Master Nathan' Daboll of Sergeant Rufus 
Avery of Fort Griswold fame, and is a house 
of man}- memories. 

"Master Daboll" whose name is linked in 
the educational annals of the country with 
those of Xoah Webster and Lindley Murray, 
was born a few hundred yards to the north 
and had received a part of his early education 
at the hands of the Reverend Jonathan Barber. 
but in the mathematical field in which his rep- 
utation was acquired, was a self taught man. 
He was fifty-five years of age when he settled 
down in the home which was to shelter him in 
his later blindness, but his famous Navigation 
School was continued under its roof by himself 
and his son Nathan, and in an intermittent 
fashion by his grandson also. The .\lmanac 
i.^sues, begun by him in 1773. have regularly 
gone forth from its oflfice now for one hundred 
and four years. Of other associations we may 
later speak. 

The opening of the Re\-olutionary jierioil 
found the place shorn of the most of the promi- 
nence thrust upon it at the beginning. Equi- 
distant between the church departed on the 
west, and the already venerable llai)tist Meet- 
ing House on the east, it was an ecclesiastical 
center no longer. Nor was it a political center 
unless the occasional meetings of the town 
fathers at Belton's tavern had served to keep 
its title clear. The town had been formall\ 
divided into school districts in 1770. of which 
it was the first in nund)cr. In point of attend- 
ance it was also tlie first, but tliere was no edu- 
cational center now. It was. in ajipcarance. as 
!t always has been, a straggling village, but the 
many suburban liomes of which we have 
spoken probably swelled its jiopnlalion to a 
number greatly in excess of the present one. 

\o p.^si .iffice was establi>he(l anywliere in 

uas a luxury indul-cd in by few. The post- 



so HISTORIC GROTON 

man rode-, and the luinl)criiiL;- stages jolted at Corpural lulward ^Mills answered the suni- 

lijng inter\als ii\er what was now the King's nmns frdni what is now known as the "llniwn 

Highway, and tired travellers refreshed theni- I'arni" in the woods beyond the Great I'.ni. ik 

selves at tlie tax em wliere "News much older nniihwe'-t ■){ Belton's tavern. Brave Anna 

Snine .'f the VMiin^ mrn were early at the I '.alley nf later ^^tnry), hnrrying t,i the (• 'rt the 

lr.>nt in the hattle Inr lil>er(\. .uic , ,r twn ..[ next nn.rning. found him still li\ing. and re- 

ibem tM remain there until the last gun was turning to their stricken IiMine. l.mn-ht hi^ 

llred. hut it was U(.t till near the end of the wife to his side I., see him die. IVter .\very. 

strife that its Id ly sjiray was clashed into aged seventeen, sallied forth fr..m Helton's 

the very midst of the hamlet. in the l.attle tavern, ],rol,al,ly ace. mipanying Lieutenant 

and massacre at I'ort ( iriswold on the si.xtli larke .\very. Jr.. who took with him als,, his 

more of her sous in our day than in all the then- home at I )uuhar's .Mill ou ( ireat llronk 

the list of victims Center (iro|,,u c .utril.utcd slain at Ins father's si.le: the lientenaut horri- 

her full share. Of seven persons wh.. an- l.!y mangled and disfigured l.y I'.rilish havo- 

s-.\ered to the alarm i;uns on that fateful morn- nets. snr\i\ed his wounds f, „• f,,i-t\- years to die 

I'matlv in the original .\\erv houie on I'onuon- 




■d froui the hell of 
at the I'.cltou place 
r. an,l ended his da; 
dd house east of ( 
n as the '•llarrv \i 



John Daholl, Jr. i wl 
ss coufoun.le.l with \ 
other of .Master Xatl 



n,L;ers,.f disease an. 1 li 

I at .\ew ^•..rk. 

le hntcherv. lames . .1 



ligure in chnrc 



The tw.i went forll 



istakenly laid up..n 
A. lams. Seiii..r. wh 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



I''erry roads is still one nf its Innclnuirks, 

luijre than half a century. Dr. John ( )\vfn 
-Miner, graiulson of the l\e\'. John ( )\ven nf he- 
loved memory, was a well kn.iwn tii^nie in his 
day and generation. 

.\l).nit the hc.Liinnin- ,.f the century the 
Haley homestead at the corners was huilt by 
Russell Smith. It vyas long an inn before it 
was purchased by the Hon. Elisha Haley, an- 
other prominent citizen, who was both ])oli- 
tician and man of affairs for fort}' odd years. 

■■-Master -Vathan" Daboll died at the home- 
stead in [8i8. Three years later his son Na- 
than, wild was all his life a man of afifairs. was 
elected town clerk of Groton. From i<S2i to 
i8_^7. the town records were kept in his office 
and from iS^i) to 1S43 the probate records as 
well, during his incund)ency. first as clerk and 

branches of the legislature as did his son, 
David .\. Daboll of honored memory. ''Squire 
Xathan" died in the old homestead in 1863. 
and his son in 1895. 

For a time the lost prestige of Center (Pro- 
ton as a political center seemed likel}^ to be 
renewed. Uut an attempt in 1836 to secure it 
through the erection of a town house near the 
site of the meeting house of colonial da_Ns. 
was unsuccessful, and the setting oft' of the 
Second Society as the town of Ledyard in the 
same year left it no longer e\en a geograi)hi- 
cal center. This was three years after it had 
received its belated christening by the estab- 
lishment of its post ofifice on the thirtieth of 
January, 1833, with Cilbert .\. Smith as its 
lirst postmaster. 

Incidentally we remark that the ])ost office 
I'.ow known as Poc|uonnock llridge. dating 
from 1841. was first called ''Peciuol." and 



changed its title only after the elder Po(|uon- 
nock ha<l had a dozen years in which to get 
accustomed to the modern name, which for 
convenience we have applied to it from the 
beginning of this narrative. 

The opening of the Providence and New 
London turnpike, begun in :8i8. made Center 
Croton a WAX statii.ni upon a busy stage thor- 
oughfare, and the building in the same year of 
the first woolen mill in the town on the site of 
Dunbar's Mill, by the corporation known as 
the Groton Manufacturing Co.. attracted nu- 
merous operatives, who recruited its dwin- 
dling suburban population and revived to 
some extent its waning trade. The mill did 
a thriving business for many years, but shut 
down in the aftermath of the panic of 1837, and 
v.as destroyed by fire a few^ months later. 

The i)ost ofiicc. after nearly seventy years 
of varying activity, was finally discontinued 
on the first day of Xovember. 1902. Two in- 
tersecting rural free delivery routes serve to 
kce]) the inhabitants of the village in touch 
with the outside world. The tele|)hone like- 
wise cheers its solitude, but the trolley ha- 
passed it by. The state is doing its best for 
it by making of the long defunct turnpike, 
whose traflic was diverted by railroad and 
steamboat more than fifty years ago. a finer 
highway than the original projectors ever 
dreamed of. Its neat and commodious chapel 
suggests that the spiritual interests in whose 
behalf it was founded over two hundred years 
ago. are in nowise neglected. It is not. like 
the "Sweet -Auburn" of Goldsmith's melodious 
nnnd)ers. a ■'Deserted \-illage;" but one of 
-imilar memories. b,.rn njion the thresh, .Id of 
a vanishing era: which foi- obvious reasons 
h;is lieen unable to keep pace with an e\-er 
hurrying procession. 



JJISTORJC GROTOX 



Poquonnoc Bridge 



By MRS. CYRUS AVERY and REV. O. G. BUDDINGTON 




•. vilhi.L;^' of l',:,niM,in,,ck 

very pk-asantl.v situate. 1 

iinhcni iiarl ..I iho li'Wii < 

rut.. 11 and .W'w Lmulnn I 



Is name. 1 



It wit II II 






,L;e in a silr iK-af the \ illa-e ami near a house 

lie huili later which has sueeessively passed 

M- thriiUL;h six .^eneratii iiis ,,l James .Moroans. 

he Ah. nit the same date Xeheiiiiah .Smith came 

at |V,„n .\ew L.in.l.in, ami Imilt . .n what is n..w 

he kii..wn as the Sniitli h.miestea.l, near Smith's 

r's lake. This h,,i,se was .lestmye.l by hre dnr- 

its s..n at a later <lale luiill ..\er the cellar ..I the 

le- former l.uihlin-. and this h,,iise is stan.lin.L; ai 

lie ants ..f the faniilv. Smith's Lake, ami .Smith's 



slali..n .if the .\ew N-rk. .\ew Haven \- 
u.rd railr.iad leave n.ilhiim nmre tn he d 




lunih-e 



■^-^4^ 



lli.ise days .d" Imi- a-c 

.\l...ut the same date i.f l<.3-'-3,:; James .\very 
was ^ranle.l land situated west nf the villa.i;e 
ami hnill what has keen km.wn as -rile I live 
.if The Averys." 'I'lie central pnrtinn i.f the 
hi. use with later a.lditiims sti.,,.1 fur almve J50 
>ears, being deslmye.! Iw lire July .V'th, 1X1,4. 
This interestiiii; bnildiuL; was a laud mark fi ir 
'.generations, and its aeci.lental .leslrueti. m was 

ful .\very Aleninrial I'ark and shaft n.,w niark 
ihe site III the ancient huil.lin-. Tliese early 
'Cillers were men ..f sterliuL; character, and 
iiccn]iied pr.imincnl places iu shaiuus;" local and 
ci.li.uial affairs n.-t .mly iu their ..wn L.cali- 
ties but in the clnuies as well. 

[•armin- railn .a.liu-. ami sea f 1 ]ir...lnc- 

11. IU. are anmu.i; the leadiii- in.luslries. .Mau> 
kir-e ami fertile f.anus are fi.und in the nul- 
Iviiiv .listricls, wh.ise iiwuers maintain them 



le cmlrast 



e Iriim .\ew I. 
; 3,^ .\biiut tin 



.Mr. James .\|,.roai 



ts hea.l 111 the s.uim 
\. if nut in the state 



"w ^Trk. Xew 



HISTORIC GROTON 



S3 



Haven and Hartl'urd railrnad about the station 
which has been changed from Pocjuonnock to 
ilidway as it is about half vva}- between Xew 
York and Boston. In addition to the freight 
yards, the erection of a roniul house, coal 
j/ocket, ice house, and hotel has lurniMiod 
employment for hundreds of men many of 
whom make their homes in the village. 

{""rom time immemorial ]'o(iuonnock ri\er 
and the adjacent waters L)f the sound have been 



reaches back to its earliest settlement. Here 
lilder Park Avery established a "Xew Light 
Congregational Church" in the days of White- 
field and his zealous coadjutors. The church 
declined as he grew old. but religious efforts 

.\fter a lime a Sunday school was estab- 
lished and maintained which has continued to 
this day. 'i'he church which grew out of the 
.'^unda^• school was constituted .\ugust i8th. 




noted for their abundant supply of sea f 
both scale and crustacean. This has furnished 
occupation for many, and members of certain 
families have followed it through successive 
generations until the highest skill and success 
has been attained. ( )f more recent date the 
culture of oysters has been inlniduceil by pri- 
vate enterprise through the laying out and 
stocking of beds in the ri\er. 

The history of Po(|uonnock I'.ridge I'.aiilist 

the historv of the Christian work on this field 



1856, with twenty-five members. Rev. S. B. 
Bailey was the first pastor, and continued witii 
them about eighteen months. The next was 
Rev. George Mixter followed by Revs, .\lfred 
Cates and John E. Wood who raised a com- 
].;iny nf volunteers and went witii ihem to the 
"ar. Xexi comes Rev. Tlmma^ Howling f..l- 
lowed by Revs. Curtis Keeney and William 
.\. Smith. 

Through ihe earnest faithful work of mem- 

miiuev was r;iised for a new and larger clnu'ch 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



edifice, dedicated November 8th, 1S71, with The church has a liandsome A\-ery nicnio- 

Kev. Louis Sands as pastor. Me was succeed- rial window presented Ijy Jeremiali Harris of 

ed b}' Elders William A. Smith, Stephen Per- Groton, whose mother was Alary Avery Har- 

kins, E. C. Miller, George W. Pendleton, C. E. ris. The fiftieth anniversary of the organiza- 








l.ill..\vs: ( Irrk- 
is \\cr\, W ill 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



A good gratled schnnl, well hi 
itli a building ccnti-allx' locate 




'Ugldy up to 
nd apiinintmciits. 



A beautiful and c 



ecessary accompani- 

and a rifle range es- 

r the practice of the 

the main- aciiuisi- 



a ill c - . 




MUly been erec 

. thrciugb the -enei-Msily ,.f Mr. Mi 

:ent buihlinu cuntain^ utbce- fi>r town i 



d growth 



HISTORIC GROTON 



Picturesque Noank 



\y MARY E. BURROWS 



nf the mn.i ,,i.inu-M,uc nn the Athnuic cast. <thcn IVmu-.i IIHIl Thcr nets, „ia,le nf wihl 

At the s,-uth Ues the hn.ul expanse nf l.hte li-'",.. set acmss the n,.rth eve, .gathered in 

water ..1 \^.^v^ Ishunl smnnl, hmken at the H'^' pK'nl.lnl sniM-ly m t,>h, , ,r tn nn then" ca- 

s.mthern h,.nz,,n l,v lasher's Ishuul as a skv ""^^ tl^-y s|.eare,l them, an,l caught the .-ther 



mil tl 



til 



m"" sunn 




K (iKNEHAl. \ IKW 









.1 nl,l hnhan 
I'nn ..1" \-aV-. 



in.h', wilh nnlv nalnre's ,>wn n^iM-s. 
■> whisper.-. 1 sofllv, the small .i^ame 



HISTORIC GROTON 



57 



scuttled here and there in search of food : the 
squirrels chattered or scolded at each other 
as the case warranted, while they cunningly 
tucked their winter stores in the trunks of 
trees or the ground. The birds callcfl each 
other together for their winter migration, and 
took their southward flight, and .Xanyang was 
so still, so calm, so beautiful, while the blue 
waters of the great ocean rolled in through 
W'iccopesette and broke with a swish — swish 
— lap — lap on the east shore. .\n(l on the west 
shore of "the point of land," it gurgled in and 
out among the rocks, then ran laughing out 



come down from I.edyard with their baskets 
for sale. 

In the lottery, the ])oint where the light- 
house stands was drawn by James Morgan, 
hence its name, Morgan I'oint light, 'i'he land 
where the little old house stands, the home of 
Rev. .\. j. I'otter, ami nwned b}^ his grand- 
father, Thomas I'otter. in Ivevolutionar)' times, 
was drawn by Jnhn Davie first town clerk of 
Groton, who afterwards succeeded to his ti- 
tle. Sir John l)a\ie, and retnriieil to England 
tc his title and estates. 

As the arrival bv water is much nidre beau- 







J' 1 S< 1 \ H 



•again to the cove, and found its w a_\ to the tilul than the jm 

sound. .\;myang. e\er beautiful, whether in trolley, let ns trii 

the year 1(114 nr .\oank nf the k^oos. and round lighthouse p.uni. iju- extreniitx' ..f 

.\fter the raid of John Mason ,,11 the I'e- "the point of land." anil lake a general \iew 

qnots, and their disjjersion, some of theni "f the coast line of the town, which is built on 

finally wandered back to Xanyang, where both sides of a hilly ridge rnnning northward 

tlu'_\- setlk'd with "Cassasimanion" as their about one mile. The sb,.ic line furnishes the 

chief, until idoj. when they were sent t.i a best view (if the industries nf the jjlace. sn wo 

reservation in the t..wn of l.edxard. The land. will sail to the nnrth dock and begin our ob- 

ir. \-\2. was drawn ]>y llie \vhites b\ Inltery. servations fnmi there. .\s we swing slnwlv 

allowe.l ;ind s;uu-ti,ined by the Hartford as- to the wharf, we find that all is bustle and 

sembly. The Indians were granted the right hurry, for >ome of the m.wi hustling captains 

of hmning and fishing at .Vauyang as before, ,.f the community ha\e juM arrived with large 

and as late as 1857 wnuld make sunnner camp cargoes of fish to W iced ;ind prejiared t".ir 

lorl time, ;ind in the early Tkjs shipment to .\'ew N'^rk. The wharf presents 



there f. 



5'^ 

a grand inix-ui, ,.f 
and flnppin.L; ti^h. ico 
and ,..kc>. Kvciy , 
thai tiK-v inav catcli 



HISTORIC GROTON 

jer 1)1 Jilts, squirmiuij;- there, tn.i, all arc inte-n^clv l.)usy. We will 

rcls, liig strung hands i'\er there and see what enterprise the}' 

eiit now mn.st cuiint piunrnting. We can just run acn iss lots at 

neM Irani mU. In a eiid nf the wharf here, tnr everxone in X. 

>ee the.e >anie men goes aen.ss 1..1-, when ihev cliMnse. lien 

isure, or sh.wly spin- lind a small marine railway for the usi 

ou it means gel their sernhl.iiig llie lioitoins, caulking or any sj 






) net. is taking the 
■hslers from a great 
k. where they have 
;orged I he hail ihev 




directly t<. Xew \ ^ vV in ihcir v 
hiiMie.l as desenhed. Cniild we li 



Iriiis 1,, Xew Nork 



Xew V.nk shipment, 
large liaskels, suuiig 



lillle 
;is il 



hrom here th 



Xew ^ ork linns l,u\ ing from the 
such as uish iM dispose of their c: 
wa\, uhile .111, rs send dirccllv I. 



IS \ er\' con- 



HISTORIC GROTON 






6o HISTORIC GROWN 

strvatively placed at $40,000. In early years and the water turned .m, the furce l)eing- regu- 

thnse in the business depended entirely on sail l;;ted by a small valve at the bottom of the jar, 

to reach the lobster ground, subject to the lliat the eggs may revolve at a certain speed, 

freaks of wind and tiile. In i8()3. A. \'. and The water running in forces that already 

hi- brother, \\a\land .Morgan, made a dei)art- there over into the receiving tank, causing a 

ure li\ introducing steam in their sail boats, ne\er ceasing rotary mo\ement to the eggs 

n-ing a hollow mast, which ser\ ed a- a Miioke- that hatches the small "lobster, which rises at 

--tack. This pro\ed a success, a- the pots once to the to]) and is floated over into the 

toidd be hauled b\ steam. Later, gas(dene tank. These are about one-third of an inch 

motors were installeil. ami now ;ire the uni- long at that time, and immediately begin their 

\ersal custom, and in the "wee -ma' " hours of life work of eating. They are taken away al- 



morning. 



1-1 unmediatelv and emittied mto the waters 



the time of tiile, one ma> >leepil\ hear the pop- of j.on- 1>1 
pop of the ni.ilors, a- they start upon their ( )„ exper 



keeiiiuL; them tint 



ish our comfortable morning sU-ep. .\fter the i; was found that in al)out three weeks they 

lobster season, these boats hsh nnid .about 1 >ec. u ^re in the fourth stage, that is, about three- 

|st, shi|)ping to ilu- cities. cpiarters of an inch in length, beginning to 

.\ short walk to the sonlh, or. if y. n iirefer. form shell, and i)erfect in shape. It is inipera- 

,■! row boat, as the .listance is hardly worth lue at this stage that they should be turned 

getting the sail boat under wa_\- again, we out to ])ro\i,k' for themscK'es, as they will die 

(.onie to the beginning of those lighting, grab- \\ lhe\ are kepi longer. The forming of their 

bing. disgusting- looking, but delicious tasting, siiells gives them weight, which sinks them to 

lobsters, the Connecticut state hatchery, pre- the bottom, and they naturally require heavier 

sided over bv ("apt. Latham Rathbun, estab- f 1. I'our to live years complete the growth 

iished for the iiuv].osc of arliliciallv su]ij)lving to the lawful market size — nine inches. ( )ne 

the waters of the sonnd. so rajiidlx- being de- season's hatcherx bring.s out hfty million 

|)lete<l by the immense dem.and and consnm;.- \oung lobsters, which wotdd seem on a fair 

t^on of the crustacean. It is intensely inter- v.:i\ to restock the waters, bm then" minute 

esling to note the |)roeess. The work begins si/e at time of putting them o\er]ioard causes 

in .May an,] lasts until about the third week ^.reat l.ws, ;is many are eaten by larger fish, 

ir, Jnl\. .\ lank is built in the upper sforx of ;,nd only a \ ery small pro|)ortion mature, 
the house, and the sea water from the east en<l I in our wav here from the Lbster wh.arf. 

(i]iening direclh on to the water), is |iumiied Inc., builders ;,iid repairers of sleani and gaso- 

by gasolene or (declricit\ into this tank. \ h ne engines, marine and stationary, also their 

l.j-gt' pi])e leaiN from the Link down to the gaL.anizing |)lant, the whole with a capacity 

gMomid lloor, coiuu'cting with sm,-ill pij.es run- oi tweiit\ men. The sail loft of .Mrs. j. I'al- 

ning the water mln g];is. jar, holding aboul nier Wrdianis does a steady, lucrative business 

iwo gallons. st.-Midmg on a lon,^ |;d,le for thai each ye.ar. 

],urpose, also lo ;, recen in;,; l.aiik Ir, nn there. There are f,,ur lirms f, ir buil.ling small 

and ,,ul again t,. the ,,.ean w.iiers fnrni b, ,ats, , ,| which Jeremiah I ).a\ is is the veter.an 

whence they ciiiu'. 1he 111,, tiler bTsler, 1 nil, ler , .1 1 hem .all. Late \ ears, these are ab, ,ut 

which is bought b\ the sl.ile superinleiident, ihirlN I,. tllirl>-lw,, feel l,>ng, with tweUe I,, 

.and is protecleil b\ law |, ,r i|s spawn, is n,iw f,,urteeii feet be.aiii. iM-,im thai si/e they \ ,arv 

separated from a liiiii], th.il llie w.iter ma\ re Launches. Tjiis enterprise ,,f the \ill.ii;e 

volve each sep.ar.ilely. These .are imw pkucl .amounts in lin.inci.al results to o\ er .SlJ.ooo a 



IHSTORIC GROTON 



The shipyard of K. rahncr & Son Co. is in 
the lower part of the village, towards the "Light- 
house" point and extending well on to the 
"Narrows. " This is one 
shipbuilding plants on lli 
employs about four Inni 
yard was opened in 185 1 
was ordained deacon of 
i.i 1821. and later served the Xoank eluirch in 
the same capacity, when it was formed in 1843, 
till the time of his death. .After his death, his 
two sons, John and Roiiert, succeeded to the 
business under the name of K. iK: I. Palmer. 



if the 


lar.^est ' 


kVOOd 


Allan 
•c,l m< 


tic cna>t 
.•n. The 


. and 
ship- 


V John 
1<1 l"nr 


Palmer, 
1 11 ill cl 


Who 

lurch 



at the e.xiiiralion of seven years' service in that 
capacity, the records show he had cradled live 
hundred vessels safely without a mishap or 
error attriljuted to his work. .\s the years ad- 
\anced and lii.-~ son, l\ii1)rrl. jr., came to ma- 
turity, he Ix-camc a mcmlK-r of the tirm and 
^t became Robert Palmer & Son Co., each Rol)- 
crt having his special department, but inakini; 
a united whole. Xew methods of doin.i; work 
called for modern machinery, which was in- 
stalled as the occasions demaiulcd until at the 
|.rcsent date it is one of the finest equipped 
\'ards in the countrw 




Xothing seemed too difificult fm 
men to attempt to haul out on tlicir marine 
railways and they always ended in success. 
The work enlarged until the death of the older 
brother John, a man of sterling worth and 
loyal Christian character, when it became the 
business of Robert Palmer. Under his man- 
agement the ever increasing busines called out 
the natural abilities and e.\ecnti\e (|nalities 
he jiossessed. The marine railways have been 
under the direction and superintendence, for 
a munber of years of Charles R. Palmer, only 
snr\i\ing sou of John Palmer, the former 

to the older memi)ers and their training when, 



Suppose we take a walk round the yard a 
see many things new to us and immensely i 



teresting. 
building. 



at all; but 
oldish mat 
yard 1 )ab( 

ought to 
same floor 
fifty, and 
him kindl> 
.\ow he 



This long red shop is the ohlest 
In the ui)per story we find the floor 
illi strange lines, which to us 
a confused mass, meaning nothing 
there stands a short heavily built, 
1 with short, gray hair — Mr. Led- 
11, who tells us, •'■thai is the draft- 
ne new vessel," ami be certainly 
aiow. for he has drafted on these 
N fir many a long year, he says over 
the years have used and touched 

e in this room, begin those vessels 



HISTORIC GROTON 

II tlic win- stai;es, such [irdvisii >ns nf strength, and re- 
>iintli ami -distance fur \veiL;ht, weather and endurance. 
I m ihttci As the mitside phmkinL; Ijegins, the salting 

1 Muu liegins. L'siialh' at this anni inncenient a smile 
■ ' 'ulity creeps ii\cr the countenance uf 

tiated. thinking tliey are being -u_\e<' 
!^' l)nt a great i|uantit\' (if salt is puur'-d ni as the 

-^ |ilanking proceeds. This is to preserve the 
utside planking is of planks of 4 
ch are spiked with galvanized 
o inches long, also trenails 
'ri>ni outer to inner ]ilanks fas- 
LMi in. butt 




.■iiicnts 

iseful, witlioul 
ih'oad lloats and coal barges 
- of their construction and theii 
lignity of usefulness, stn.nglv 
.s he goes fn.ni .me to anothei 
lifferent stages and workiuan 

just be-un by la\ ing the keel 
■ s,p,are bod'v frame whicli i^ 
g at the middle ..f the craft anc 
s either end; then the kilsou 

, and the .leek. A lar,,;e ir..r 




sl;iy ..f i 
hre b,..lx 
h.r these 
thish. ' 



Ihickuess run ,l.,wn the si.les ,liag- 

cn.ss .liag.maliy, thus f,,rming a hm'iisi . ,.. 

I in f,.rni ..f .liaui.m.ls .,ver (lie en- 'I'l'^' searchers l,...k things 

■the ves>el. The frame is cut away I'l "ts. b.a.l ]ilaces in |>lauk^ 

I wlien {\w\ g.i int.. pl.ace lhe\ are uuperfeeti. .n. riie\ must 1, 

s is ..ne ..f the most inferestinu trusty, perfect in their kn..v 



HIS 1 K IC GR O 7 ON 



63 



iiiess. Xuw cuiiK- tlif painters and llie gen- Down hel.iw arc great knees cf 8 and <) 
cral finishing-. The boats are then thoroughly inches in thickness carelnlly marked in the 
watered to test or find any leak. This may shape desired. These are placed on the tahle 
last three or four hours, going up one side, and a saw so small and slender it huiks inc( in- 
then the other. gruons is puiscd almve the depth of clumsy 
It is n<iw time to prepare to launch hy put- wnod Inilk under it, Imt a hand regulates the 
ting ways under, wdnich are ■-lightly inclined force, and hand;, guide the clumsy piece 
planes slushed with tallow nnxcd with oil, on with its marks exactly to the saw, and with 
which the vessel slides to her future element. another little shrill shout the saw jdoughs its 



s ])lant for sex'eral suci 



a knee is tnrne( 




SI'MMKK HKSIIIKXCK ol' 

eraged a vessel constructed and launched e\'er; 
ten days. The gross income in panic year wa 
$741,000. 

While we are waiting for the tide In tnucl 
the highwater mark, just str.'ll r.mnd t.i tin 
(lilTerent hmiso where the varidus parts an 
]iepared and luade reads fur llieir rcspectixi 
phicev. Here i> the s;iwmill where the im 
men>e logs are sent nn the great carriage t< 
be trimmed into shape. They roll along to the -aws do each its 
saw which strikes them with an angry, e.xult- ( )\er there is il 



a.- neatly as the shears wduld cm a pastelioanl 
card. That one there, is where the trenails are 
^; wed. .\ square stick of locust about zi inches 
in length by one and one-eighth inches s(piare. 
i. fed tn the hungry l.nUe. !;eh,.ldl he gral.> 
il. the belt >wing^ rmmd and .me schniM I an.l 
a smooth, n.nnd trenail is the reMill which 
goes to fasten ihal |)lanking. ( )nc man inruN 
1800 of these trenails a da\ . .^1 > the nnmerons 



64 HISTORIC GROTON 

\cssels arc slrappcl and the .iiIkt inni work i)icUirL-s(|iK- effect. I'ai" .nit on the waters of the 

required. 'I here is a funny |.„,kni.n Imx thini;' snun<l. or hack int.. the distant cuiitry hills, 

an.l they are steamin- planks f. make tiiein that .hni white s|nre can he seen, |,..nitin- 

pliaMe t.. hen.! int.. ].lace ..ver a hnli;in- ni.war.l, seemin- t.. pierce the blue skies an.l 

l.ltle hnil.lin- near the .h..re. the ni..st artistic i ..rt Hill nieetin- h..nse. an.l -ran.!-. laughter 
.1 them all. .\ few panes ..| -kiss ntissin- ..'(H.l .M\ stic church, the hrst I'.aptist church 
fn .m the wm.h.w in the peak an.l <laul.., ..f all f. .ruie.l in this part of Connecticut, 'i'lie .Xoank 
u.l.ire.l paints l.irniinj; a rich .ia.l.i a^ hi-h as ^.apti■^t chnrch was f.irme.i in iS4_:5. th..u,L;h it 
a man can reach with.iut a la.j.ler, red, yelL.w, is s. . intertwine.l with the ..1.1 |-..rt Hill church 
etc. That is the paint sli..],. Then we visit as t. . have actually he.gun it-, exi-^teiice ei.L;hty 
the p..uer h..use, that furnishes all the f..rce year. previ..u>. Its in.lepen.leiit existence be- 
that |.erf,.rms these w.ui.lerlul ihin-s. .gan with tw.i hun.ire.l an.l twenty-three mem- 
The ti.le is n..w ah.iut full an.l the click et- hers, .if which ..ne hun.ire.l were cmverts ..f 
click ..f the men at w. irk un.ler the h. .tt..m the meetin-s hd.l l.y l-.l.ler jahez Swan in 
warn y. m t.. ;.;et y..nr place 1. .r viewin- the .Mystic a sh. irt time l.ef. .re. There are nine ..t 
launch. The rap]iiii- .,f th..se men ti.i^htenin- tli.ise members still li\in-. 

up the we.l-es i, \ er\ exciliu- t.i an ..nl....ker, |t^ liist..i-y has been at times alm..st .Iraniat- 

an.l causes them I., wish ihev cnl.l .1., s.,me- ic, an.l at all times has it been as salt sav..rin,L; 

.'u see her in.>\e." ,,,, i;., p. i\\er f. ir l; 1. There has never been in 

•• riiere she ,L;.ies!" i|k' hist.iry ..f X.iank the <i|)eii sale of liquors, 

)i)y has nulice.l a sli-ht a.hance fr. mi ,.]- intoxicants all. .we. 1. i'nblic opinion, so im- 



then it cmes a.gam, ' 
-\... n..l vet. riick-et- 


















t.' scream at the chancel send .ml their three -..me time- carrie.l .m snrreptiti. m-l\ f.ir 

t uies three. Hurrah' Ami. 1st the ,L;reat iar.i,;..n awhile, but as -...m as pr.i..| c..nl.l be ..btaiue.l, 

..; ,g.i..il cheer, she sli.les ,,\er the lalL.w and ii was st..|.|.e.|. The present house ..f worship 

.•il. pl..n-lis il..wn int.! the water, and as the was built in iSdj, at a cost of .Su.o;).), havini; 

water bu..vs np the full leii.L;lli ..f her, -he a -eatin- capacity . .f ab. .ut I. .ur hun.ire.l. Since 

makes a ,L;r,aceful b..w p. the an. hence an.l the that lime, impr. .vements have been ma.le a- 

iirm that has caused her bein-, ami ll.iats .mt times and c -n vemences have .lemamle.l, ami 

f..r the mission f. .r which she was built. The at ])resent it is li-hte.l by electricity, has a hue 

-liipy.-ir.l is crtainly w..rthy a \isit, and llie m.Hlern pipe ..r.gan iuslalle.l at the est ..f 

time is well spent in .gaimu- nincli nilormati..n S->.3().i. is heate.l with hot air, h;i- a baptistry 

a- well .is pleasure. with water Mipply, a well e.piippe.l kitchen', 

< hi the blow ..f •■Sf.re Hill/' ( I, -r in ..1,1 days '-"I'l a lar-e Sun, lay scIi.h.I r....ni, 
Ike .general \,ariet> ami gn.cerv St, .res were at The .Metli,..lisl church w;is f..rme.l as a 

lli^- f....t ..I this hill, nearlv ;,1 tlu' hea.l ,,| the chapel, partiallv .lepemleiit . .n the c.nference 

\\\ the \esseU as they came ml, luriiing |,, using what was kii, ,wn as t he ch.ipel, it' became 

Ihv right ,,n,l walking lhr,.ngli llu' ,leeii lauu. a.hi-able I., buil.l a belter ami larger h.,use. 

we .appn.ach the ll.aptist dinrcli. the ..l.lesl re- w hi. h was ,|o,ie i,, i,,,,^ Tliev ha\e ii..w an 

''■^'""-^ '""1.^ i" the i.l.ice. Il is ,,| very plain ,an,|i|, .rinm with ;i seating c.ip,acil> ,.f Iw.. linn- 

archite.lure. p.iinte.l \vlii|e. but its laperiug .Ire.l ,in,l lift\ t.. three linn. Ire. I, lilte.l wi:li 

spire with its sitnati.m . m the hill, give it a ni...lerii impr. .vemeiits. .\ well e.piii.pe.l kitcli- 



HJSTOKIC GROrON 







66 



HISTORIC GROTON 



en. and Sunday sclmol l-()onl^ arc lielow the 
ipain auditi'iinni. The total value of house 
and furnishinL;^ is about $7,000. The same 
year was l>nilt a I'mtestant Episcopal and also 
a Roman (/atholic church. 



i.'-'43, it was used for meetings when occasion 
called, funerals beini; held there, as well as 
prayer and preaching services. Many now liv- 
ing have a reverential feeling for the school 
house which now stands with its modern front 




The scl 
tre of the 
Noank, a 



District Xo. I 1 in the cen- and hack added to the "big and little" ])arts of 
lid District .\'o. '> in upper other days, which interpreted meant the rooms 
ely allied to the I'.aptist 1 'f the big and little children, or the senior and 




'■\v-. 





■AN i;x(;nisiTE rk;tre.at,- 


be jiar 


1 and parcel with |iri 


inivcen 


ITS and personal li\ 


Tile s. 


;li<..,l liMUse of \(,. pri 


and ir, 


im tluil time until IIk 



HISTORIC GROTON 



stiuk'ius are admitted tn the hii;li sclmols o\ 
other towns they take an advanced place, some 
ui them nearly ready fnr tlie sophomore year. 

District Xo. 6, upper Xoank, carries the re- 
ligious remembrances still further back to 
nearly a century. It has always iieen called 
"the old school house." Ticfore District Xo. 
II was formed and the house built, those who 
have passed to the great beyond, but would 
have long passed the century mark at this tinu', 
wearily plodded over the hills with their little 
dinner pails from lower Noank on the shores, 
to that school, for their meagre advantages of 
learning to read and write. Our great grand- 
mothers, at four or five years of age climbe>l 
those hills, more than a mile, to school, a 
stopjied to rest at the same house one of th' 



■Id habit 


if "lining off" 


from 


the one red 


lymn br„. 


< held by the niin 


ster. 


while he gave 


hem line 


by line to sing. 


The 


old house has 





went to li\e in afterwards with her young hus- 
band, which was her home until she died at 
nearly ninet_\'-one years of age. She could tell 
C'f seasons of great religious blessings in the 
old school house, of prayer meetings and 
searching sermons, .\ musically inclined 
member discoursed on the singing schools, 
when the singing began to improve from the 



I'een remoxed, and a modern one takes its 
place, with modern methods of teaching and 
an up-to-date teacher. Though it is a mixed 
school it arrives at a good grade of scho'arshi]) 
and has no reason to be ashamed. 

\A'e will return over the hills our great 
grandmothers trudged as they went and came 
from school. The view from hill to ocean is 
just as beautiful. ])ut the world has mo\-ed 
strangely and wonderfully the last century, 
and now we see from those hills the conven- 
ient trolley car gliding along the highway each 
half hour, connecting Groton with Westerly, 
R. I., and sounding its triumphant little whis- 
tle as it slips out of sight around some curve. 

A visit to the railroad station next. The 
telegraph operator is ticking at his machine, 
the freight agent is booking freight ; fish, lob- 
sters and general freight are going out. Flat 
cars are coming in loaded with lundier from 
the south, hunber from Oregon ordered 
months ago, knees from .Sault St. Marie. Atich., 
floor timber from Xicollette, V^'est \'a., trc- 
r.ails from Canada, and lumber from other 
points near by. Immense anchors, their mam- 
moth chains, coils of hempen hawsers that call 
(■ut an exclamation of wonder at the size, cav- 
ernous iron water tanks, etc., all for Palmer & 
Son Co., shipbuilders. Then there is the freight 
for the numerous grocery stores, markets and 
other stores. We find the amount received for 
freight in one month to be $7,000. at others 



inSlORlC GROTON 




$5,000 and SCi.ooo. Aiiiininl rcccixcd f(ir pa 
-cii.^cr tickets to have l)een $1,500 a nidiUli 1)( 
'I'hcrc arc Iwd well e(|uippc(l lidlcls fi 
summer visitors. Tlie Aslihy limisc i„ tl 
K.wcr part of the villa-e ace -mm, ulatcs ali..i 
lifly i;iiests, and The Palmer in the upper i)a 
■ ■f the \illa.t;e entertains from sixty to srvent; 
live \isit.irs. Artists fr.mi the lar.ne cities tin 



Inch hrniL; them tame and 
old certificate-, of L'ncle Sai 



_-kels, 
1.^' pi'' 



(Jmel, iniassmnin- Xoank, makin- hut lit- 
tle pretentions ,,f its henevolent deeds and char- 
Ual.le ads, tlion-h always ready I., answer 
the call lor sympathy of the -real outside 
uorld, in Its iM,verlv and the distress of its 



he C'ixil war to sa\ e the uihty of the nation 
ied the youn- men to its defence in enthn- 

honorahle mention anions men hy theii 
)le scrx'ice to and for their conntrw 



HISTORIC G HO TON 



The Work of Fanny Ledyard Chapter, D. A. R. 



Bv MARY E. BURROWS 



y*— -^- 1 1 1-, ]Moneer chapter of the Daiigh- 
^Sl^S tcrs of the American Revolution 
B?-A-"5!!0 jn the town of (iroton was the 
i'anny Ledyard Chapter of Mystic. 
( )ld Mystic and Xoank. It was 
formed June 8, 1893. the chapter number being 
10. It was also the second chapter in the 
I'nited States to appoint a chaplain among its 
I fficers. who opens each meeing witli relig- 
ious exercises. 

To .Mrs. Eliza A. (Miner) Dennison be- 
longs the honor of the first membership and the 
early promotion of the chapter. She was ac- 
cepted by the national board as a member and 
appointed regent of "A" chapter April i, 1893, 
endorsed by Mrs. Del!. Randolph Keim state 
regent of Connecticut, her national number 
being 296^). .\s regent of "A" chapter the 
responsibility was placed on her of forming 
that chapter, and she immediately began her 
work of securing eligilile members. The first 
member of the chapter was Mrs. Eliza (Deni- 
son ) lirown of Xoank whose name comes on 
the charier following the regents as number 
two. In a short time she had the required 
number for the charter (thirteen) and three 
more for good measure, making a roll call of 
sixteen for the beginning. These papers were 
sent to Washington the middle of .\pril an.l 
acce])ted by the national board June 1, 1893. 

'{"he first regular meeting was held June 
S, 1893, at which time came the choosing of a 
name. Several names were proposed when 
from one corner came a whisper, from as quiet 
and unassuming a gentlewoman as our chapter 
heroine herself, to one of the ladies nearer the 
fionl n.w, "Why don't you name it I'anny 
Ledyard? She was the first to give aid to the 
suffering victims of I'"ort Ciriswold?" Tlie 
front row lady. Mrs. Sarah (P.urrowsi lUick- 
ley, audibly voiced that wliisiK-r and the name 
thus proijosed was unanimously adopted. 



I'anny Ledyard was reincarnated and li 
again to do deeds of mercy and kindness 
the chapter which bears her name, and 




niisirat 
isla Ml 



isen up ir 
-.Miss .\i 



70 



HISTORIC GROTON 



i lie hibt lakiiig up ui ihe pracUcal wurk ul 
the Liuiplcr was oii :5cplciuUcr OLli, to cuiu- 
nieniuiaic uie massacre ul Lii'otuii iieiglits al 
the Old Icjrl, with iiivUed guests Iruin the 
cliapteib ul Aew Lundoii and Aurwich. liver 
since tnat date as the year rolls round, the day 
lias been observed, and "the nieniury ol tne 
spirit ol those lieroeb and Heroines ul tnat 
dreadful day is perpetuated and newly aroused 
in each heart which attends these anniversa- 
ries, i'eliiuary ij. has always been celebrated 
with but one exception in the hfteen years — a 
perpetuation ol the spirit of that great leader — 
the magnanimous tliristiaii gentleman and tlie 
Aioses of our country. Patriotic and literary 
exercises and colonial teas bring to mind the 
habits and costumes of "ye olden times,' and 
each time arouse a new interest in historical 
research as to what and how our grandsires 
did and Uved. 

Une early call to the chapter was not to pro- 
tect historical soil but to help make such. In 
the far state of California where no Revolu- 
tionary soil can be found, the .Sequia Chapter 
planted a Liberty tree and sighed fur histor- 
ical soil for its growth ; a call was made for 
contributions from each chapter and that from 
Lexington was the first trowel full placed 
round its roots; then across the broad Atlantic 
came that from the grave of Lafayette, and so 
on, from the various and far aways came the 
soil which gives growth to that tree. The 
Fanny Ledyard chapter sent hers from the 
grave of their patron saint in Southold, L. L, 
and so historic and revolutionary soil like the 
spirit has spread, and found a rich abiding 
place in the beautiful, bountiful C.olden State. 

Soon after this a fund was started for a tab- 
let to commemorate the loving deeds of Fan- 
ny Ledyard in ministering to the wounded and 
suffering of the battle of September 6th, 1781. 
In June. 1X05, the tablet was finished and 
placed on lur grave. A delegation of the chap- 
ter with >cvcral Sons of liu- American Revo- 
lution accunipaiiicd 1>\ ullurs iiul uf either or- 



tory service- 
its presenla 
was accept e< 



uf the village, 
the spot to pav 
sight as to its 



isits are frequentl_v made to 
respect and to keep an over- 
Mulitioii. When the house 
lived was re- 
le of its time 
the chapter, 
frame for the 



Dr. W hiltaker in beha 



where our lieroine had alwavs 

moved, l-)r. Whittaker saved sc 

stained oak and forwarded it 

from which was made a carvcc 

charter, and a cabinet in whicli lu preserve 

relics. 

.\nuther histurical moiuimenl is the pair uf 

just above Mystic, where Revolutionary iiatri- 
1 ts rest with the families of old Colonial sires. 
The grounds were cared for and ]nit in order, 
stones righted and wurk finished by ])lacing 
tine iron gates at the entrance. 

.Markers for the gTa\'es of Re\ 1 ilntiunary 
patriuts were ubtained from the .L;eneruns Suns 
uf the American Revolution, and one lone 
heru of Groton Heights sleeping about a mile 
from Nnaiik was tenderly remembered, his grave 
made ui-(leii\ and a marker placed there for 

.\ cuntributiun was made tuwards the pur- 
chase uf Putnam's wolf <leii at Fomfret, 
(.■(innecticut. 

.\pril 7, 1897, the chapter became a mem- 
ber of tile AL'iry Washington Association, the 
badge uf membership to be worn by each re- 
gent while holding that office. To encourage 
liisturical research socials were organized for 
such study, papers were written, original 
poems composed, and so mind and heart were 
opened to the work before them. As the work 
uf the chapter grew and su nuicli was done 
fur the country's good by its women, this wurk 
assumed t)ther forms and the literary work 
came in at regular meetings and special anni- 
versaries. Among their cherished members 
have been tliree real daugliters. Mrs. Nancy 
Lord Stanton, Miss Mary -\nn Wheeler, Mrs. 
Abbvlino Starr. These were each ])resented 
with the -old spuun given tu real daughters. 

Miss Abigail Ledyard of .Suulhuld, L. L. 
great grand niece uf h'anny Ledvard, is an 
liunurary member of our chapter. 

Many liistorical s])ots have been visited. One 
trip which stands uiu in b.ild relief is that 
to Lebanon, Conn.. June 17. i8(j6, by invita- 



HISTORIC (;A'07'0N 



tion of tlic S. A. R. to dedicate the l)ronze tab- 
let ill the httle old war office in Jonatlian 
'i'ruiiihuirs grocery store. 

Article 2nd of the constitution reads : "To 
promote as an object of primary importance, 
institutions for the general diffusion of knowl- 
edge," a quotation from Washington's will. 
L nder this heading we place tirst, as homage 
to the distinguished author, a contribution to 
the ■■-National University ' fund of \\ asliing- 
toii. Contributions to the Southern Jiduca- 
tional Association for the education of the 
mountain whites; for a scholarship of the 
Connecticut Literary Institute at Suffield, and 
two prizes to the ^lystic high schools fur the 
best historical essays on the battle of Grotoii 
Heights, have been given. 

The insignia of the Daughters is a seal of 
American womanhood. It immediately es- 
tablishes a bond between the wearers reach- 
ing out to sociability and good fellowship; 
consequently this chapter has always extended 
most cordial welcome to aii}' visiting Daugh- 
ter n\ tais community and i? aiways pleased to 
be addressed b\- her on the work of her 
home chapter, rroni time to lime me}' have 
given to some prommeiil official to whom tiie}- 
wished to pa} ilieir respects, receptions reacli- 
ing thruugU the slate to each chapter regent 
ur her representaii\e. Such honor was paid 
Airs. Deii. Randolph i\ieiii, slate regent, on 
two occasions, to Mrs. Sarah T. Kinney, state 
regent; to Airs. Agnes (MartinJ Dennison, 
vice-president general of national society and 
previously registrar general; to Airs. Donald 
McLean, regent of New York Ciiy chapter 
and later to her as president general of the 
national society. 

These were one and all brilliant funclions 
made so by artistic decorations of flags, the 
insignia, flowers, roses and ferns, gorgeous 
foliage, music, beautiful gowns, gentle women, 
their husbands and sons, witli entertainment of 
wit, wisdom, and dainty refreshments. 

Then there have been the many calls for gen- 
erous thinking of others less fortunate. The 
"Margaret" fund is put aside for the yearly 
dues of any one temporarily unfortunate, so 



making her membershii) a burden. Im-oui tlii> 
fund is cpiietly handed the amount required 
;!nd no ])ublicity attends its payment. The 
llower fund is a penny collection each month 
to furnish Howers to the sick of their number. 
There was the call in '98 for hospital shirts 
for sick and wounded soldiers ami sailors of 
I he Spanish-American war. i'lie response 
was the forwarding of eight}- shirts, and a 
quantit}' of comfort bags so much needed. 

Alarch 17, 1899, came a call for contributions 
towards a monument for Aliss Ruliiiia Wal- 
worth, daughter of one of tlie founders of the 
D. A. R. This heroine contracted disease 
while nursing the sick of the Spanish war for 
whom she laid down her young life. Money 
has frequently been given to elderly needy 
members. A donation was made luward a 
k-ving cup to our stale regent, Airs, barali 
Kinney, for long and lu\ ing service. She most 
generously turned the aum at once into Uie 
.^ontmeiilal liall fund. 

An appeal came Irom a Aiemphis, Tenii., 
chapter, asking lor a cioll lor a bazaar to be 
hem to raise money lor a monument to the 
daughter of Tatnck iieiiry. this call was also 
listened to and Aiiss i-aniiy Led}ard ))}■ name, 
beautiluUy garbed 111 19th century cosuime of 
blue silk gown, black saim coat trimmed with 
dainty lace, and white Cainsuoro hat of wdiite 
chitton and velvet started on her mission to 
Aiemphis escorted by Air. Adams Lxpress. 
Other contributions are to the \ew London 
County iiisiorical Societ}- towards the Shaw 
.Mansi(jii, Xew Loiuloii ; Crotun .\iiiiex; .\a 
ih.an iiale school house ; Franco Alemorial 
fund; Young Men's Christian Association; 
jellies for Boston Hospital; Ellsworth Home- 
stead, Windsor; Hartford Bridge celebration; 
Fanny Crosby's birthday present; and mem- 
bership and dues of an invalid S. A. R. Two 
successive years general literature, periodicals 
and games were given for the soldiers at Fort 
Terry, i'lumb Island, and Fort Mansfield, 
'\\'atch Hill, R. I. An apportionment for the 
Connecticut column in Continental Hall was 
given, making the whole amount contributed 



72 HISTORIC GROTON 

lor the Continental Hall fund to date two hun- And with before us, the womanly kindness 

dred and fifty-one dollars. A heartfelt tribute of our patron saint whose deeds have raised 

to our martyred and lamented president, A\'m. tlie most enduring memorial, the Fanny Led- 

McKinley, was written by Miss Alary E. Bur- yard chapter, D. A. R., strives by her work and 

rows, and forwarded by the chapter to his deeds t(-i do her honor, and also the country 



HISTORIC GKOTOK 

West Mystic 

By HORACE CLIFT 



M|UJ 




Hill l\ 



rc. It extends irDiii tiie river 
cm the east tn Imu'I Hill cm the 
west. ( )n the east side it extends 
s cove at the f(iot of De\irs ImhiI 
icks on the north ; and on 
e llurrows" cemetery on 
l-ort Hill, north alcm.ii the ]• landers road to 
the old post road. 

This section was the hoiiie of the I'eqnot 
Indians when Xew Rnt;land bei^an to be set- 
tled by the white race. I'ort Hill and Pequot 
Hill are noted as being- their strongholds. 

The rugged crags near the river on the north 
known as Porter's Rocks are historic as being 
the resting place of the allied forces under 
Capt. John Mason the night bef 
on the Pequot fort in May, 1637. 
A few years after that decis 
settlement of the section began, 
rows, John Packer. John Fish, and Robert 
I'ark are named as first settlers, 1652-5. The 
Park family located at first on the east side of 
the rix'er. From that time until near the year 
1800 this territory was occii|)ied and owned 
chiefly l^y the liurrows. Packer. F'ish, and 
Park families. Descendants of these, from 
time to time ha\'e been honored with the chief 
iiflices in the town of (Irotoii and they have in 
turn proved an honor to the town. .Some of 

repute in the nation. 

In 1800, and for a nuinl)er of years later 
there were no public highways in West Mys- 
tic excepting the route from the ferry to I'^ort 
Hill, throu-h I'cHUionnock to (iroton I'.aiik. 



ttack 



Robert r.ur- 



tercourse; and 
1748, running fi 
post road and 
exceptions the t 
with gates or b 



e I'd; 
11 I'd 
[irk's 
.-elled 



ilitate 
,pened 



these t\ 
l)ent wa 



Ihe lerry was established nd long after the 
rst settlements, with Robert I'.urrows ferry- 
lan. .\t one time there api)ears to ha\e been 




the narrows, over to where the l''lm drove 
cemetery now is: hut the chief route was from 
the west side of the river across to Pistol I'oint 
liU the .Stonington sidi' from whence the road 
continued through that town. This ohl route 



HISTORIC GROTON 



through fr(jm New London is said to have 
lieen called the King's Mighway. 

In 1805, Silas Beebe a native of Waterford 
purchased a tract of land and located at Devil's 
Foot Hill. Tl'.is title had been given because 
of the natural imprint of a foot in a rock on 
the hill. The piece ..f rock as blasted some 
vears ago is now in the rooms of the County 




Historical Society. .Mr, ISeebe married Han- 
luah Rathbun, sister of Capt. F.lisha Rathbun 
then living east near the river. Later on he 
made purchases until his land holdings 
amounted to nearly three hundred acres, 
reaching west to the foot of Fort Hill. He 
was a sea captain and was engaged in the 
coasting trade from ijuo tu iS^o when he 
became connected witli Jedediah Randall in 
the whaling business. Tin- C(.\e next smith 
of Capt. Reebc's resi.leiuT by common con- 
sent bears his name. Ills lirst \vile ha<l died 
and in iSi.:; he marrie.l Xaiicy ilreed. lie died 
.May, iXo,:;, at the .a.^e nf S,V 

Jedediah Ran. kill was l„,ni in Xorwicli. \pril. 
I77.V ami mnve.l to Mystic in 1S07. His wile 
was Alary llurrows, daii.Lilifer of Rev. Silas 
llurrows, whu nwiieil the I'lut Hill farm. He 
l(X-atcd at the ferr\ landing; with C,i|,t. F.dward 
Lacker wlinse wile was Lrudeiice Crary a con 
iiecti.m ,,f .Mr. I>:an(la]l. .\ -eneral provision 
siure w.as ]<epi liiie, .-111(1 sea going vessels were 
biiih .a little sMiiili liom the residence. The 

grounds, Mr. R.indal] purchasi'd from Capt. 



acres, extending np the hill where the .Mystic 
and .N'oaiik library building is, to where his 
son. Isaac, some years afterwards built his res- 
idence. He continued the store business and 
i.; iSio l.e.^an building vessels. Mr. Randall 
als,.. eiiL;aL;ed extensively in the whaling busi- 
ness until he retired in 1834. his sons succeed- 
ing him. .\t the time of his retirement from 
business he was the wealthiest resident of 
.'\l\stic. He died in January, 1851. ■ •_ .i 

In 1X05, ,\inos Clift, a sea captain who was 
iM.rn in Lrestnii, purchased the farm of Na- 
tlian Ibirrows. He had married as second wife 
m 170X, Thanklul Denison, daughter of Isaac 
and luinice W illiams Denison acruss the ri\er 
in Stoningtnii, who was also a cousin of his 
first wife k'.stlur Williams, bntli being con- 
nections (if .\m\ and Sarah W illiams the suc- 
cessi\e wi\es cf .\"athan Burrows, 'Jdie farm 
extended from the west end of the present 
trolley and drtiw bridge, north along the ri\er 
tc land of Capt, George Eldredge, a noted 
ri\er and coast pilot, whose wife was Hannah 
Liirniws. a niece of Xathaii. and west up Pe- 
(|ii.it Hill, t'l netir where the monument now- 
other tract (if k-md next west of this of Ceoi-ge 
stands, .\ little later Capt, Clift bought an- 




HJSTORJC GROTON 



75 



i.- thougln tn have been l)uilt by the i;''''nJ- 
father of Nathan, who was John 2d, i;randson 
of Robert Burrows, a first settler. 

At the time the chimney was built the Bur- 
rows farm exten.k-.l I'rnni the tiulley draw 
bridge north to the top of (ireat Hill by the 
t'eace Aleeting grove, and west from these 
points to top of Pequot Hill, the house being 
cpiite near the center. It is a tradition in the 
llurruws and Packer families, which the 
writer also heard his grandmother relate as 
fact, that after the great snowstorm in the 
winter of 1740-41, the valley east of the 
house being filled with snow and banked 
against the ledge and house. Desire Packer 
lUirrows, mother of Nathan, slid frnin the 
cliamber window of the residence in a huge 
chopping tray over the river to near the Den- 
ison mansion. * 

Another episode related by the same per- 
son perhaps it may be pardonable to relate. 
In one of his voyages, 1807-08, her husband 
had been gone so long without being heard 
from, it was thought by some that he was lost 
at sea, but she had believed he wouUl return. 
Her father Isaac Denison was with her. A 
dog which Capt. Clift had left at home com- 
menced barking in an unusual manner one 
morning, continually looking up the hill. It 
kept acting so strangely that her father said 
to her: ''I believe Amos is coming home," and 
before noon they saw him riding horseback 
down the old bridle path. He had taken a 
.cargo of oil and fish to Bordeaux, and then 
taken a freight for Caracas. Then as in more 
recent years Venezuela was in a revolutionary 
state, his vessel was seized and he and his 
crew were detained. lie succeeded in clear- 
ing himself and crew and reaching New Lon- 
don. It proved to be an unjust seizure and 
after some delay they were indemnified. 

Nathan Burrows had made two trips to Bos- 
ton with his oxen during the Re\cilution with 
provisions for the patriot army. His brother 
John was an officer in the war. He moved to 
Chenango Co., New York, where he died in 
1808, at the age of sixty-four. He has de- 
scendants in New York, Rhode Island and 
Connecticut, one of them being the present 



prosecuting attorney for the town of Groton, 
.\mos Clift died in 1818 at the age of fifty, the 
same year that the first bridge across the river 
was being built, and High street from the 
New London road to Burnett's Corners 
opened. 

RESIDENTS IN 1800. 

Xorlh of the Burrows farm, mentioned, was thai of 
Elam Burrows, whose wife was Sarah, a daughter of 
Isaac Denison. Ne.xt north and extending west over 
Pequot Hill were the farms of Sands Fish, and wife 
Bridget Gallup, and Roswell Fish, and wife Isabel 
Phelps. North from them were Joseph Park, Jr., 
wife Abigail Ecclestone ; Beriah Grant, wife Nancy 
Burrows; and William Smith, wife .\bigail Willes, 
whose mother was .\bigail Park. Joseph Park erected 
a grist mill on the brook near his residence. North 
of the Smith farm was land of Wait and Thomas 
Wells in the Old Mystic section, with Rose Mason 
(colored) living near the line. 

West from the Smith farm were the farms of Paul 
Burrows, wife Catherine Haley ; Samuel Park, wife 
Dolly Chappell; Nathaniel Park, wife Phcbe Burrows. 
West from these, and extending over to the north end 
of the Flanders road, were Shepherd Cottrell, wife 
Mary Wilcox; John Braman, wife Polly Park; Den- 
nis Burnett, wife Polly Noyes ; Peter Reed (colored), 
wife Irene, on land of Thomas Wells; and Nathaniel 
.\iles; besides Elisha Nilcs, and wife Sarah. 

South from the Niles land was the farm of Holmes, 
Sylvester, and Philena Walworth (not married) whose 
father, Sylvester Walworth, was killed in the battle at 
Fort Griswold 1781. East, and between their farm and 
Pequot Hill, was Thomas Fish and also the saw and 
grist mill with dwelling house then owned by him and 
later by Edward McGuire until abandoned. South 
from the Walworth farm was that of Dea. Simeon 
Smith, wife Eunice; east and also south of him the 
farm of George Fish, wife Sarah Hinckley; and on 
the west side of the highway, the farm with lanyard 
of Zebcdiah Gates, wife Eunice Packer; second wife 
-Mercy Denison. 

South from the Gates and Smith farms were Charles 
Gard, wife Bethany; Benjamin Hall, wqfe Huldah ; 
Nathan Mix, wife Phebe ; Baker family ; Joseph Crumb, 
wife Eunice Tift, daughter of Solomon Tift; William 
.Middleton, wife Lucy Walworth, dauglitcr of Sylves- 
ter Walworth ; Cheet family ; Moses Latham, wife 
Leonora Smith; William Latham, wife Sabra_A_gb- 
bey ; he was wounded in the^Tsattle at Fort Griswold. 

On the Fort Hill farm, living south of the present 
town house, was Rev. Silas Burrows, wife Marv 
Smith, second wife Phebc (Denison) Smith. .\ little 
west of Fort Hill lived Samuel Edgcomb, wife Rachel 
Copp; and also Solomon Tift, wife Eunice Burrows. 
Both of these men were in the battle in 1781. East 
from the Flanders district, along the New London 
road were Charles Packer, wife Abigail Latham ; John 
Fish, wife Hannah Brush; Elisha Packer, wife Lucy 
Smith; Lodowick Packer, wife Delight Ashbey; .\L-i- 
son Packer, wife .Amy Burrows; Joseph Packer, 
wife Hannah Packer; George .\shbcy, wife Cathe- 
rine Packer; Edward Packer, (land sold to Jedediah 
Randall) ; and Daniel Burrows, wife Kesia Rhodes. 

East of Fort Hill and south of the New London 
road, Sylvester Clark, wife .\bby Gates; Ebenezer 
Fish, wife Lydia Fish ; (one of the name of Ebenezer 
Fish was in the battle of September, 1781, Allen's 
History); Chester Fitch, wife Deborah Packer; Sam- 



76 



HISTORIC GROTON 



uel Bui-n.ws, Lemuel l'.urr..ws. wife X;tiiey ; Daniel 
Eldredge, wife Phelie; he was in the battle at Fc.rt 
Griswold; Joseph Ashboy, wife Mary Burri.ws; lU- 
dredge Packer, wife Sabrina Packer; Guy IC. lUirrows. 
wife Fannv Eldredge; John Packer, wife Hannah Gal- 
lup; he was in war of the Revolution; Joshua Packer, 
wife Phebe Packer; and on the Xoank hue. Levi Spi- 
cer, wife Prudence Palmer. 

At the south part of Goat Point was Latham Fitch, 
wife Waity Burrows; Elisha Rathbun, wife Lucre- 
tia Parker; next north, Nathan Ingham, wife 
Experience Fish. Xorth of that section was Isaac 
Park, wife Marv Billinghaas; Benjamin Packer, wife 
Mary Middleton ; David Lewis, wife Lydia Tift; Ca 
leb Tufts, wife Rebecca Burrows; William Murph\ . 
wife Mary Park; William Douglass, wife Ann; Jo- 
.scph Park, wife Lucy Packer; Asa Willis, wife Debo- 
rah Burrows; Daniel Packer, wife llaiinali I'.urrows; 
he lived where his great granrlsMn. ( harUs L\ Packer, 
now lives. South from the residence, vessels h.id been 



,f Ai 



lie w: 



thonv Wolfe, wife Marv Ivlih 
war 'of the Revohui,.ii In llie house east nl tlie Xa 
lional Bank bml.bn.t; was Jnii.itliaii Wheeler, wife 
Nancy Thompson. His father, Lester Wheeler, was 
i'l the war of the Revolution and also her father, Wnr 
'I hompson. When the bridge was built in 1818 this 
house was owned Ijy Ambrose H. Grant, wife Philura 
r.niwn; east of the residence was an open cove run- 
ning up In where the F4>iscopaI church building now 
siands I he cove was mostly lilled Ihirfv years ago 
with gravel ll..,-,te(l in on scows of Cnpt. Thos. Wil 
bams, uni-ked bv Daniel I'islier. 



i.].eiiiii,L; 1. 1 ilio], street, WcM Mys-tic lif.^aii t. 
.-row ;is :i villa.-c. Ilcin- directly c..niiectc< 
Willi Ihc caM >iilc Ml the river there was alsn ; 

si.le. J he hiiildiii.- nl vessels ..I .lifferett 
^M-ailes :mi.1 sizes whicli enoa-ed in lisjicry ;in. 



rts-. 



known as the Alden Fish road, the West 
-Mystic avenue, Pequot Hill avenue and then 
the Roswell Brown road fnnn the Alden Fish 
fnad through to the Xoank road fallowed in 
siiccessieni. Tiesides these there are a number 
cf short routes and cross streets which have 
been opened. The post office on the west side 
was called I '1 irter^v ille fur a mniiber i>| years 
.mtil alx.nt 1S44. it wa> changed |.. Mystic 

In 1S4S the three brothers Isaac. William, 
and .Sdas H. Randall with Wm. I'. .Smith. 
Nathan Lhaiiman and I.e., nan! W. Mnrse 
fin-med and started the - Reliance .\lachin.- 

Ml (.rnlnn. They built u], a lar.L^e bu^ness 

rhc business was hn-el_\ in cntlMH .-ins and 
macltiiiery fur the s, .ntheni states. Sli.w pay- 
ments f. ir their l;. "ids at lh;a time emb;irrassed 
them, and the c.im]ian_\ w;i> ,ibli;.;ed tn >uc- 

;'. large bti-.iness nccii])}' the same l;,-,,,,,,,], 
•| he tract .,1 land east nf West Mystic depot 

has rare business facilities. I'.ef..re and dnr- 
in.- the war. ship btiiMm- was carried on 
here by the llrm of .Maxsoii. I'ish ;ind C"o. 
which iiichi.led vessels for the .government. 

The Holmes .Motor Works now located 
near the former shipvar.! ;ire doing an exten- 
sive bnsines.s in building tine yachts eipiippe.I 

new tirm has recentU' sMried business here 
east of the depot, under tlie ii:ime of West 
Mystic .Manufacturing; ( o. rhe\ are biiilil- 

loc;ited m .Mvslic williin a few years, have ;i 
yar.l for bnildiiit^ ;iii.l rci.;iiring south of .Main 



i.l from West .Mvstic to ( )|d Mvslu- w;i 



the south side of I'istol I'oim. east 
L'r. where thev .-ire hmldin- vessels. 



r to ( )ld .M.xsiie is ohler. Hie Iu.l. 
lli.uh slreel towards Cenlre ( irot 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



77 



On tlic west side ul" I'carl ^ircol by the ledge 
there was fonneriy located a manufactory for 
wagons, carriages, etc., by Charles Johnson 
and Elisha Dcnison. Uesidcs the local trade, 
business wagons were shipped through agents 
to California during the gold discovery period. 
Later the Iniildings Inirned ddwn. The Mystic 
(iranile and Marble Co., ,,l McCaughey I'.ros.. 
and also the Melviii blacksmith work^. are n.iw 
located on the gr.miKN. A little north nf this 
is the carriage shun of Charles II. Idhnsun. 



biismess trcim belore Lahlcirma times until al- 
ter the war period. East from the shop w-as 
the Randall store managed by Dwight Ashbey, 
south from the blacksmith was the store of 
Simeon Fish and Son for many years, and then 
J. T. Batty, County Commissioner, south of 
the store the cal yards <if lleiijamin Burrows, 
and further along by tlie ri\er where now is 
the Kelsy Coal Co., there had been for some 
years a store kept by Joseph S. A\ery. West 
from the Burrows coal vard. b\ the Xoank 




a son ot the former builder. West of this road is C 

K. Marston formerly worked the (piairy and shop. So 

also had monumental works. the street 

Near the north end of I 'earl street before ."stark, in 

the Civil war. was a shipyard where a mini- ofhce. A 

her of vessels were built by John .\. l'"orsylh shop at tl 

and E. Morgan. This is now occupied by res- down. 
idences and by the Cheney ( dobe Works. ( )n .Main st 

tifc location where now stands the office build- the chief 

iiig of the liroton ami Stoiiiiigioii Tnjlley Co.. ( >ii the no 

Lyman Dudley did an extensive blacksmith side block 



lajjiuan s blacksiiiith 
ith from this on the cc 
ill 1850 was the store 1 
which was the Mystic 



ih si.lc iK-M lo the bri.k 
Central Hall building 



rner across 
f Albert G. 
River post 
blacksmith 
iiice burned 

L'st. is now 
and offices. 
;e is River- 
with stores 



78 HISTORIC GKOTON 

and offices, the drug store which Ur. F. AI. pcnters, had a -hop and hiniber yard on llie cast 

.Manning occupied a half-century ago, and in side of Gravel St. Previous to US50, Auk is Clift. 

the next building at that time was the hat and then in California, had been a builder withaslm]) 

cap furnishing st^re of Chescbro and Da\is. on the hill where his father had built his rcsi- 

Then the 1. W. Deniscm e\: C'd. bl"ck. where deuce in 1805. At this time and later. Henry 

had been A. ( i. Wolf. Idacksmith; the Ketch- Latham, an old resident was al-o in the carpen- 

um block, Lluckley's block with hall, at the ter business, his shop being south of the New 

east end of which stood the shop and office London road. Also there were Gurdon S. AL 

of the spar and block contractors. William, Icn and Reuben and Roswell Chapman. A lit- 

john an.l Oliver Hatty, uho kept the cove He later were C. E. Tufts, j. R. .^tark and J. 

A-hich then extended fn.m their building S. Heath, with Calvin Cromwell, all of whom 

nearly t.) where the Episcopal cliurch building '-i^'c passed away. Connected with these 

rniw stands, — well filled with spars for masts, i;uilders, who still remain, were E. B. Mayo, 

etc., nf \arious sizes. It was in their shop .Vustin (;"rallup and E. R. W ilianis. Civil war 

building, then vacated, that .S. 11. I'.uckley veterans. On the east side some y >unger and 

was supidying meats fifty years ago. .\t that --till active, there remain William Murphy and 

time, ne-xt west was A. C. Tift's dry goods Hiram Clift. Sunn after 1S50 and for many 

store and the present Kretser store building. }ears .\sa .\. -\\-ery and sun .Mien conducted 

P'urther west is the Xational Rank building, an undertaker's and furniture business on 

established o\-er a half-century. West of this Main St. It >lMuld lie rcmendjered that in 

is W. E. Wheeler's block, where then was ihnsc days there were master mechanics in 

Roswell Brown's livery stable, north of which mason work. Lanman, Uenison and .\elson 

was the village bakery. Lamb. .Vathan Landj and h>lwin and William 

(hi the south side of the street, where now Slack. 
is the bakery, a half-century a.go I). A. Hall 
had a grocery store. luist is L.rown's block. 
the Braman block. .\\er\'s block. W atrous' 
block. Ed,gcond)'s block, and tlie store l)ui]d- 
ing where D. .V. Prentice then had a grocery 
store with L. .\. .Morgan, now an owner in Cen- 
tral Hall block and other interests, as clerk. Next 
comes the ( idberi block with stores, offices. 
■ nid a public hall, iheir building c.xten.ling to 
the river. Hcsides these there is also tli,e 
Pearl street grocerv, farther north in the viL 



In 1850 the only stores on .Main St. west of 
the bridge were: On the north side, h.lam 
Eldredge and Eldre.lge Wolfe', market. k\ 
M. Manning's drug store. ( ). 1). X'oyes' fni- 

rishing store and ,\. i. Tift's dry g Is store: 

on the south side were Tlmmas Williams 

])aint shop, Martin Lawsi.n, lin simp. ,ind I). 

N. Prentice, .groceries. In the ]iresenl (i. .\. 

R. buildin.g on Pe;irl Si. \\;is the nnderl.iknig 

and repair shop .,f I). I). Ivlgcomb ;ind Gil- \wis probate judge for Sloningtoii. anil I). I). 

bert Morgan. .\ short disi,„ue n.nlh were .Mallory & Co. I'.esides these there \\:is ,1 eo„- 

Thomas and Jesse l.amphere, ilealers in fish fectionery store kept by the bridge tender at 

and oysters. .\t (he same period tlie Messrs. the east end of the bridge, .also one under the 

Gallup brothers. James, John and Benadam. car- old hotel. The bri.lge wa- iree.l from toll 





The vil 


lage is s, 


1 C( 


mnec 


ted t 


hat busines 


s on 


eil 


her sid 


e affects 


the 


lithe 


•r. ( 


)ii the east 


side 


a 


half-cei 


itury agi 


1 a 


nd e; 


;irlier 


the -hipy 


ards 


of 


■ Georgi 


L'. Clark 


aiK 


1 I'll 


omas 


( ireennian 


: of 


CI 


larles .A 

d of 


lallory w 
DexteV I 


ith 


Masi 

s an 


111 C. 

,d (, 


eorge Grii 


inell. 


Wl 


•re each 


1 driving 


bu- 


■ ines-. 


At 


the lime v 


>hen 


sjl 


ip buih 


ling uas 


pr. 


isper 


oils 1 


.here were 


two 




ll lofts; 


one on ll 


he 1 




ide 


if the river 


con- 


du 


cled 1.} 


Isaac 1 


). ( 


lift. 


Dav 


id Weems 


and 


1:1 


lenezer 


Leebe: 


an 


d on 


the 


west side 


by 


( ir 


o\ er (j 


. King a 


nd 


Gris 




I'leebe. 1) 


. ( ). 


Pi 


chmom 


1 and CI 


lar 


les h 


".Idrei 


Ige were 


boat 


liU 


ilders. 


L.dwm h 


;. ( 


ialln, 


|>. ta 


ilor. was 1 


lost- 




ister. 


rhe Imnh 


.er 


yard- 


, iif J 


oseph Colt 


rell. 


;in 


.1 coal 


yards of 


1 sa 


.ac L 


1. Ill 


limes were 


the 


Gi 


iel soul 


■ces of SI 


'MM 


ily 1. 


-r till 


ise necessi 


ties. 


Til 


le store- 


. were ih 




of 1 


. W , 


Denison cS: 


Co. 


wl 


lerc TI 


lomas C. 


L 


orsyt 


h. si 


nee mastei 


■ of 


mi 


■rchant 


vessels. 


wa 


s del 


•k. • 


fills store 


had 




■11 that I 


if Iloxsie 


a)i 


d I'.a 


Imer: 


As.a Pish. 


who 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



rates in 1855. T. E. Packer and Charles Den- 
ifon were insurance agents. 

On the east side in Greeninanville section, 
there is a large woolen factory, the Mystic 
Manufacturing Co.. which has been doing 
business many years ; and also the extensive 
Rossie Velvet Mill works. A little to the 
north of these are monumental works, and 
Brown's twine and rope factory. Xot far 
north of the bridge, by the river side, is the 
manufactory of James W. Lathrop Co.. doing 
a large business in motor engines for all spe- 
cies of power. On Pistol Point is the spool 
factory. East from the depot is Packer's tar 
soap factory and storehouse : and a little be- 
yond, across the cove, is the large, new building 
of the Industrial Co.'s Ninigret Mills. .South 
from them is the \\'ilcox Fertilizer ^^'orks, 
now well established. There are two grain 
stores on the east side of the river. The G. E. 
Tripp's block, the Gates and Xewbury block, 
and the Hotel Hoxie building contain stores 
and offices. The hotel was built by Messrs. 
'i'ufts and Stark about i860 for Mr. B. F. 
Hoxie. It stands on the site of a former hotel, 
which was owned by Capt. Xathaniel Clift. 
The Shore Line hotel is south of this, and 
across the street, west from the Shore Eine, is 
tlie auto repair shop. The Cottrell I^umber 
Co. occupies the old lumber }'ards. There 
was formerly a sash and blind factory near 
the yard. There was also a large machine 
shop built on Pistol Point, which was unsuc- 
cessful and was changed to a woolen mill, but 
finally was burned down. 

On the east side there are now three church 
buildings. The Methodist Episcopal church 
v.as organized in 1835. The first pastor was 
Rev. William .S. Simmons. The present pastor 
is Rev. C. T. Hatch. The Congregational 
church was organized in 1852. The first pastor 
v.as Rev. \\ alter R. Long. The present pastor 
i; Rev. I". .\. Earnshaw. St. Patrick's Ro- 
man Catholic church was organized with Rev. 
P. P. Lalor first pastor in 1870. The present 
pastor is Rev. C. -\. Leddy. This church has 
recently dedicated a new temple of worshijj. 
.'\ Seventh Day Baptist church was organized 
at Greenmanville, on the east side, in 1850 
with Rev. Sherman S. Griswold. pastor for a 



number of years. He was a popular clergjinan 
in the village, although (luite outspoken on po- 
litical subjects, but that was an era of decided 
opinions. The church ceased as a public or- 
ganization three years since. The last pastor 
was Re\ . O. D. Sherman. 

The first organized church within the lim- 
its of ^^'est Mystic, was the Second Baptist 
church of Groton. It was under the leadership 
of Rev. Silas Burrows. The meetings were 
held mostly at his dwelling house on Fort Hill 
from 1765 until after the war, when a house 
of worship was built on the crown of the hill 
north from his residence, and known as the 
Fort Hill church. There occurred a number 
of special revival seasons under his pastorate 
and that nf his son. Rev. Roswell Burrows, 
who succeeded him. The father died in 1818 
at the age of seventy-seven, and the son in 
1837, aged sixty-nine years. Both of these 
pioneers of the church rest in the yard on the 
crest of the hill by the scene of their labors. 

Rev. Ira R. Steward followed as pastor un- 
til in 1844. a new house of worship was built 
at Mystic. Sonic nf the members had be- 
come connected with new churches started at 
Groton Bank and Noank. Another church 
was already established, at West Mystic, 
known as the Mariners' Free church, which 
v^as for a time alternately occupied by minis- 
ters of different denominations and later be- 
came the Third Baptist church. The two 
houses of worship were not many rods apart 
and in 1861 the churches became united, and 
the buildings were connected by moving the 
Third church building a little to the rear, and 
moving that of the Second church up to the 
front of it. They became the ITnion Baptist 
church, and the house was dedicated Oct. 9, 
1862. 

-After the removal from Fort Hill to the new- 
house of worship in Mystic, Rev. Henry R. 
Knapp was pastor of the Second church five 
years; Rev. Washington Munger three years; 
Rev. Harvey Silliman two years; Rev. J. M. 
I'hillips four years; with supplies following 
his pastorate until the union. Rev. Erastus 
Denison was the first pastor of the Third 
church for two years, and was followed by 
Rev. John H. Baker in 1837 for two years. 



8o HISTORIC GKOrON 

Kcv. Krastus Dcnisoii was again |)astnr tmni did. In jnly, 1896, ['Jias V. W ilex, J..hn G. 

April, iS.v,, niitil April. KX4S ; Rev. Snnnii 1!. I'acker and Luuis 1'. Allyn were elected dea- 

r.ailey, ah-nt tw.. year-; Rev. I'ranklin .\. enns. 

Slater, three years; Rev. j. 1.. llnlman .me .St. .Mark'.s Episcopal church was or-anized 

year, and Re\-. William Calhcart ahnut three as a parish in h'ebruary. 1865. Rev. L.)renz(i 

.\ears. Re\-. .\sa I'. l',r..ns,,n succee.led in Sears, rector: Daniel \\'. LX-nison. senior 

-Max, 1S3S, until the two churches united, and warden; Roswell llrown, jiuiior warden, 

he was |(aslor of the Tuiou cluu-ch until his Rew .Mr. Sears was rector until .\pril. 18OO, 

lesi^ualiou, taking effect .\pril 1, iS(,i,. Re\-. ;'n(l was succeeded by Kcv. W . lu-rani Ma- 

• .eiiii^e 1.. limit was pastor fn.m Jan. _', 1 S70, ,L;ill. who was rector from July, i8(»o, until 

i:ntil Jan. j, 1S81 ; Rev. Charles 11. Rowe fn.m October, 1869. He was tollowe.l by Rev. O. V . 

I )ct. iSSi to 1SS4; Rev. (ie.ir-e Jl. .Miner Starkey from December, i8fii), until Deceni- 

from July, 1SS4, to .May, iSg^: Rev. .\rchi- bcr, 187J, and Rev. J. D. S. Pardee from Jan- 

1 aid W heaton from Sepleiuber, iS.)^, to Seii- uary, hS;,:;, to .Ma\, iXSi. Dnriu- his rector- 

tember, iMoo; Rev. I'.vron L'lric Hatfield from ship the church bein- free from debt was cou- 




■1S( UI'.Vl 



sii; 



Deceudicr. i^oo, to .March, 1(^04; Rev. Web secrated by Risb-.p Williams. Apnl J5, 1S73, 
come v.. Rates, the iiresent pastor, since July, o,, St. .Mark's day. Rex. W . V. I'.ielby was 
1.JO4. rector three years; Rev. J. .\. ficknor one year 
The deacons Ml the Second cliurch previous Rev. Samuel Mall one year; Rev. Josepl 
1- the union were f.lisha Rathl.nn, .\lbert Ib.uper, si.x ve.irs ; Rev. II. 1.. .Mitchell, Iw, 
ldL;ecomb. William 11. I'omr, I )ndlex I hese- xears; Rex. b.n.^ene « .ri.^.^s, three years; Rev. 
bro. -riiMse of the fhird church were 11. .\. H. 1.. .Mitchell, three vears ; Rev. .\. I A Jones, 
I'isli, .\alh,-in (,. fish, (,eor-e \. Wri-lit, 1 he ]. resent rector, sex en years, 
l.,inm,in l.,iinb, file liuoii llaptist church fhe first church of thrisl. Scientist, .Miss 
loniinued ,\. t ,, fish, Albert f.d-conib, W. 1 1. Arace W. f'.dick, first rea.ler, and Charles 
1 otler ,nid (,. .\. WriLih:, In iSo.S there xxere II. Latham, second reader, haxe a li.ill 111 Ail- 
chosen .is deacons Ib.race (lift, William II. lertA bloek, Re.uiilar serx ices are held Sun 
Smilh. lohn (.allupand l.eander W ilco.x. In dax niornm- ami W e.lnesd.iv exeniu-. The 



iSSj the hrst 



Ihes, 



J. Al.leii Ralhbnn .and John (), fish were v as bron.^ht in vessels, .'iiul ab< mt 1S5.. the 
Aected, Deacons \\,n. II. Roller, John ( ,al were re-niar lines ,,f sl,„,ps rimmn.L; n. .\\ 
hip, l.eamler W ilco.x ami J. ( ). fish have since ^•.lrk, and to ,\ew L.Midon and ,\orwich. 



HISTORIC GROrON 



8i 



It can 1ie seen that M\stic has become quite 
.1 business centre, and there appears no rea- 
son why it should not continue. It is cen- 
trally located between Xew York and I'.oston. 
It has a good river channel connection with 
the sound and ocean. The Shore Line rail- 
road depots are convenient for business, travel 
and shipments. The finishing touch for con- 
venience of travel has come with the Groton 
and Stonington Trolley Company, with cx- 
j.'ress cars for freight, .\lthough it ma\- not 
be classed an ideal section for high grade 
farming, there being some rocks and ledges, 
yet extra good crops of grain, fruit and ber- 
ries have been raised. It has, in quite recent 
years, been somewhat noted for blooded cat- 
tle. Tliere are streaks of good granite in a 
number of ledges in the village limits, which 
have been used for building purposes. 

It is a satisfaction to know that by the liber- 
ality of a gentleman of large wealth, who has 
located in the town, the old highway from 
i\Iystic over Fort Hill and through Poquon- 
nock is to be graded and macadamized. This 
is not the only instance of his generosity. 
Now in the prime of life, it is hoped that he 
may enjoj' a serene old age with abundant 
resources and a continuous will to help im- 
prove and adorn the town. 

Changes are going on. They may appear 
hardly perceptible at first, but after the lapse 
of time they show out distinctly. In 1800, 
and for a quarter of a century later, the Flan- 
ders school district was one of the largest in 
numbers of any in the town. At that time the 
Fort Hill church outnumbered otliers. It 
was the central place of worshij) for a large 
section of the town. 

During the pastorate of Rev. Roswell Bur- 
rows, from 1809 to 1837, more than 700 had 
joined that church. The place of baptism for 
that section was not far north on the Flanders 
roa<l. It was on the east side of the highway, 
northeast of the present residence of Mr. Ira 
Mosher, and just north of where then stood 
the home of Nathan and Phebe Mix. A deep 
cut drain under the highway drains off the 
pond, but the basin in the meadow shows 
where it was. In those days a baptismal scene 



was one of the chief events, and tliis location 
being near the centre of the present town 
limits, there would be a large assemblage 
from all directions. .\ow the scenes have 
changed, the population and the churches are 
elsewhere. To those who cherish sentiment, 
who are descendents of those worshippers, 
the old route from the meeting house to the 
baptistry, used for over half a century, seems 
like consecrated ground. 

The .Mystic River .Xational I'.ank com- 
menced business in November, 185 1, with 
Charles Mallory president. The Groton Sav- 
ings Bank commenced business in 1854 with 
Nathan G. P'ish. president : and the Xational 
Bank of Alystic Bridge (east side of the 
river) was organized in 1864, with Charles 
Mallory, president. 

In the first half of the last century the local 
physicians were John O. Miner of Centre 
Groton, Mason Manning of Old 2klystic, and 
Benjamin F. Stoddard. A half century ago 
they were E. Frank Coates, Alfred A. Coates, 
John Gray and A. W. Brown, and of tlrose 
who studied and practised with them, Oscar 
M. Barber and Frank A. Coates. 

The generations which preceded, did not 
have present day school advantages: very few 
liad wealth, yet as a community of intelligence 
and worthiness, their descendenfs may jusllv 
honor their memories. The puiilic schools 
in the village are graded. On the east side 
(Stonington district) a fine new school house 
is being erected. In West ^ilystic. Prof. A. L. 
Pitcher is principal with an able corps of as- 
sistant teachers. For several years a teacher 
of drawing has been employed, Miss Francis 
E. Nye, who has given general satisfaction. 
The "Mystic Academ_\^" building was first oc- 
cupied as an academy liy John L. Denison, 
I'rincipal, and afterwards purchased by the 
filth school district. There arc now nine 
teachers in \\'cst Mystic schools, one of them 
being in the Flanders district. In 1850 there 
were four teachers in all. 

One of the events at that period was a 
school exhibition during the winter of '49-50. 
It was held one evening in the school house, 
which stood a few rods north of the Baptist 
church building, on the second floor, which 



HISTORIC GROrON 




HISTORIC GKOTON 



83 



i\\ f 



tlio nl.lcr schnlars. with Wil- 

i-aclicr. Diulley A. Avery wa-. 

' or. It was the tinu' 

11a lever was ragiiiL;, with 

out claims and panning out 

as a varied programme and 



iiani 11. I'ntt^ 

teacher on ll 

when the la 

visions of sta 

the gohl dust. 

the crowded i)uilding shook with the applause 

given those who took part. The teacher was 

on the stage and lieing a little apprehensive 

of danger requested the audience to he (|uiet 

and not stamp the feet. One of the i>ieces 

were soon to >ail for the land of gold, could 
not suppress their enthusiasm and joined in 
the chorus : 



waslibinvl on nv 



"Oil, California! ( )Ii, tliat'-^ llie pla 
I'm bound for California with m 
knee." 



He was closing up the song with "wash- 
howl" in hand and the chorus was making the 
\. elkin ring, when the lloov began to settle, 
letting them all down amid inuch confusion 
and outcries. 'Ihe stage also dropped in front, 
thus sliding most of the audience to the hiwcr 
floor. Xo one was seriously hurt. The e.\hil)i- 
tion was afterwards repeated in a conference 
house with a fee to help pay the cost of re- 
pairs. 

The Oral .School for the Deaf, Incaled on 
the hill near the north line of Wesi .Mvstic, 
is a useful and successful inslilulion. It re- 
ceives regular ajipropriations from llic slate. 
'I'he pupils have recently nundiered hetwcen 
forty and fifty. 

The I'niversal Peace .Society hold their an- 
nual meetings in their grove on "( Ireat Mill," 
whicli is south from the Oral school !.;n.inids. 
These meetings are largely attended and no 
doubt are productive of gof>d. Tlure m;iy he 
ditTerences with s,,nu- nf the views expressed: 
but no person can doubt the sincerity df the 
advocates, nor the merits of the cause. 

The Mystic and Xoank Lil)rary was found- 
ed in 1892. The lil^rary corporation was form- 
ed in 1893 and consists of five trustees. This 
large and elegant strnctin'e was ihe Ljift of 
C'apt. ]-:iihn Si)ieer. S-inie years a-o he also 
imrchased a farm home for the <lepen,lent 



ones of the town, lie has passed from us, but 
his liberality should not be forgotten. 

During the war of 1812-14, the people along 
the coast were harassed by the I'.ritish lleet. 
C'ommodore llardy's men, besides their ex])e- 
rience at .Stoniugton, also found their e(|uals 
in this \icinity. During the year 1813, the 
sloop l-'o.x, Capt, Jesse Crary, was cai)tnred. 
W ithin a few weeks more than twenty Amer- 
ican sails were captured. Capt. Crary had 
escaped, and immediately planned for the re- 
capture of his vessel. The sloop Hero was 
fitted out from Mystic with a privateer's 
commission, Ambrose H. Burrows, cajjtain. 
They were provided with a four-pounder, fire- 
arms and ammunition. Before reaching Block 
Island they saw the Fox standing in with 
double reef. She came within two nnles of the 
Hero when she became suspicious, tacked 
ship and ran oiif. Both sloops were built by 
Eldredge Packer at ^^'est Mystic and were 
fast vessels. The Imi.x was furnished with a 
six pounder, but the Hero keeping on her lee, 
she could not bring it t.i bear. The guns 
of the Hero soon forced the I".>x to change 
her course, and as she wore around, the Hero 
ran her bowsprit through the P'ox's mainsail : 
they then grappled and fought hand to hand. 
The battle ended just at e\ening with a \ic- 
lory for the Hero. It took place the last day 
of April, about ten miles southeast of I'.lock 
Island. The next morning while the British 
were in hot pursuit the Hero and Fox passed 
triumphantly up the ri\er. The victors were 
mostly young men, and a number of them be- 
came masters of merchant \'essels. 

In lune the enemv had caiilured and de- 



attenipi 

sloop, 



I capture Capl. 
ich had gn.ui 



known as l-'ort Kachel, a natural loi'titicalion 
of rock on its east ami south sides, a short 
distance south from the ferry, was manned as 
a defence by the citizens. .\ comi)any had been 
formed, and Jonathan Wheeler the village 
Idacksmith. was chosen captain. It was de- 
cided to make the atlemi>l to caiUnre part of 
the British lleet. 



HISTORIC GROrON 



A i)ari;c was luiilt ami htted u[) as a decoy, 
loaded with barrels and boxes. Capt. Simeon 
Haley, Paul Burrows, John Washington, Hen- 
ry Park and Ezekiel Tufts managed her so 
as tn attract attcntinii when a black barge 
from the fleet with an ofticer and a dozen men 
gave chase. ,\fter siime manoeuvering the de- 
coy men were ilri\en ashore at Long Point, 
west of Xoank, and fiercely followed up the 
bank by the P>ritish, who unexpectedly met 
the forces under Capt. Wheeler, which were 



eil, and the atmosphere was one of war with 
the tramp of armed men ready for the fray. 
Isaac Park, one of the residents, was taken 
prisoner while otf in his fishing boat, and held 
on b'-iard the frigate several days. Learning 
that he was a pilot, they tried to force him to 
steer their barge up the river one dark niglit. 
He apparently yielded and chose an hour 
when it was qm'te low tide. The barge was 
filled with men supplied with weapons. ( )ne 




ing in ambush. .\t the first fire ..1 the mili- 


that he cnnld understand he w 


as to l)e shot 


1, which killed one and wounded others, the 


i; he attempted any trickery. 


They dipped 


irsuers threw up their hands and surrender- 


the oars cautiously, but moved 


quite swiftly. 


1. They were taken in their barge around 


When within range of the fort 


Park veered 


the ferry landing and to the Randall house. 


his course and ran the craft on 


Clam Island. 


here the w.ninde.l were cared for. The dead 


just south of the railroad brid-e 


.\s the ves- 


■itisher was hnrii-d near the northwest cor- 


sel grountled and the ;illentioi 


of the men 


1- "1 the -Id I'acker ceinetery on the hill. 


was taken from him. he jum| 


led from the 


le wonnde.l recovered and later the prison- 


stern and swam into the channe 


. In the dark- 


s were exchanged. 


ness he escapetl. They made no 


further direct 


It was much like a cam|. ground around the 


alleiupt to attack "that nest of 


wasps up the 


1 landing. .\ raid or an attack was expect- 


ri\er." 





HISTORIC GROTON 



«5 



Judge R. A. W heeler's report of the battle 
of Stoningtoii in the County History, gives 
the names of those from Alystic Bridge as fol- 
lows : 

Jeremiah Holmes, Nathaniel Clift, Simeon Haley, 
Jeremiah Hale}-, Frederick Denison, Ebenezer Deni- 
son, Isaac Denison, Jr., and Frederick Haley. Capt. 
Holmes had command of the battery on the loih of 
.August. I'Vederic Denison was killed. 

West .Mystic has furnished her full quota 
uf men for all the wars. During the Civil war 
tnere were more than three hundred enlist- 
nieiits from the town. 

The list of those killed, and who died in the 
service : 

Capl. JeUeUiah Randall, Urnn D. iiarker, Charles 
U. .vndrews, lioratiu A. nsn, Jr., W ilhani tl. Dur- 
K-e, Uenjamm Lrossl), i-orenzo iiurrovvs, ihomas 
1 isncr, Joim liarns, \\ nuam iiralieny, John iiurk, 
\wlliam Jonnson, JuUn L. beignous, .vdam L. tlent- 
ley, VViUiam L. relluws, Flias VV. W alrous, Juhus A. 
rerkins, Lyrus J. lease, John V. t'uuiani, iiUnmnd 1-. 
bmith, Abner A. Spencer, bamuel V anaukui, Chauncy 
!•. VVilco.x, Jolm .\iaynard, I'rusLUis iiaiky, ihomas 
Manice, Wiiuani 11. W atrou=, ihomas ii. bnu'ley, 
James linker, W lUi.im A. Alulkiey, George A. l'"ish, 
Samuel Kallibun, W illiani 1'. Latliani. 

.Many have died from wounds and disease 
resulting from the war. Among them was 
Lieut. Colonel iiirani Appelman, who was 
Secretary of State at the tune of his death. 

The town of Groton was separated from 
Xew London and became a township includ- 
ing Ledyard in 1705. In 1839, Groton and Led- 
yard became separate towns and probate dis- 
tricts. 

iStephen Haley was judge one year, James Gallup 
two years, Nathan DaboU three years, Joseph Durfey 
two years, Zebediah Gates four years, Albert G. Stark 
two years, Nathan G. F'ish one year, Sanford Stark 
one year, Amos Clift eighteen years, Hiram Appel- 
man one year, William H. Potter six years, Lemuel 
Clift twenty-two yeaxs, Arthur P. Anderson four 
years, now in office. There have been clerks of the 
court, Nathan DaboU, Nathan G. Fish, David A. Da- 
boU, John Hudson, Albert G. Stark, Nathan S. Fish, 
Amos Clift, Lemuel Clift, George F. Costello. Mystic 
has a supply of legal talent, Lemuel Clift in the Civil 
war and ex-judge, 1-rank 11. Hinckley, prosecuting at- 
torney for town of Stonington ; Albert Denison, and 
lienjamin Hewitt, Jr., all have offices in West Mystic. 

There are two local newspapers, the- Mystic 
Times and the Mystic Journal. The Times is 
the successor of the Mystic Press and the 
Mystic Pioneer. Mr. A. L. Pitcher, is the pub- 
lisher. The Journal i)ul.lislier is Mr. Harry 
Anderson. 



Many of the old residents were sea-captains 
and many adventures might be related con- 
nected with them. Capt. J. Warren Holmes, 
now retired, but quite active, was 63 years on 
the water, and sailed 84 times around Cajje 
Horn. About 1856 the ships Twilight, Capt. 
Gurdon Gates, and the Andrew Jackson, Capt. 
John E. Williams, (both men were near neigh- 
bors here), sailed from New York at the same 
time and reached San Francisco in about 100 
days, with only two or three hours difference 
in time, the Jack.son being first. Uuth ves- 
sels were built in Mystic. Later the Andrew 
Jackson made the trip in (p days. 

One of the stirring events connected with 
life on the ocean occurred with Capt. Am- 
brose H. Burrows and his son, Brutus, in the 
year 1822. The brig "Frederick," with a val- 
uable cargo, while off the coast of Peru, was 
approached at midnight by a strange vessel, 
which signalled its presence by firing guns. 
A rough command ordered them to send the 
brig's boat aboard immediately or else be 
sunk. Capt. Burrows complied with the de- 
mand as soon as possible, taking his papers 
along, supposing the stranger to be a regular 
cruiser. Before his boat with his aids reached 
the strange vessel, a boat was sent full of men 
to the "Frederick" who leaped aboard with 
drawn cutlasses headed by an oi^cer, who or- 
dered every man belonging to the vessel, ex- 
cepting the first olificer, to get into the boat in- 
stantly. They were conductetl to the pirate 
brig, as she proved to be, caused to sit down, 
and handcuffed. 

In the morning they were mustered on deck, 
where a strange scene presented itself. In 
groups on the deck were nearly a hundred 
men of dift'erent nations, armed to the teeth. 
The pirate captain, a stout, fierce looking man, 
informed Capt. Burrows he intended to take 
his prize, the "Frederick," and cargo to Chi- 
loe, and as there was no one on his own ves- 
sel who could navigate her excepting his first 
lieutenant, he wished for Capt. Burrows to 
take her there and assured him uf good treat- 
ment if he would do so. To this Capt. Bur- 
rows assented on condition thai his sun be al- 
lowed to go with him. This permission was 



HISTORIC GROTON 





llRSfffM 




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^P 


^^K^^l 


i?,' 








Sw'^^J^ 


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^^, 1 ' 


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HISTORIC GKOTON 



87 



granted, with the warning that the men who 
were to accompany him would shoot both if 
he did not take the vessel to the right place. 
With the officer and nine men to accompany 
l-.im. the two vessels soon parted company. 

After a few days of quiet sailing. Capt. Bur- 
rows matured his plans for recapture. He se- 
cured the small arms belonging to his \essel, 
loaded and concealed them in his stateroom. 
It was customary each morning for the com- 
manding officer and his assistant to go into 
the ea1)in and examine the charts with the 



to the man at the wheel, who gave up to tliem. 
The crew were then ordered below. The cap- 
tain now approached the scuttle and com- 
manded them to come up singly, and leave 
every weapon below, threatening to blow out 
the brains of the first one who di-Mibeycd. 
They obeyed, and one by one were bound and 
lashed to the gunnels. 

In the morning it was proposed to them 
either to take the launch and try their fortune 
in her, or Ijc carried into Callao and be deliv- 
ered up as pir;ites : they all |)referred taking 




(ih'^fJuaU* 



-, w.^r-vJ 




'■■^ .^/- -a 



l<isll)l\(l <1[ Ml{ li:sSE I). ( liAHV 

captain. One morning while examnung the the launch, and accordingly Laj)!. I'.urrows 

charts he addressed them: "Here siis/' point- was rid of their company. 

ing on the chart, "you suppose you are, but The astonishment of the two jirisoners still 

sir> \ou arc deceived: \ou are not far from i>ound in the cabin was great when they 

land, and miw >tir hand or foot, make but the learned the situaticm. These two men had 

slightest noise, and you're dead men." They >hown some kindness to Capt. liurrows, while 

iotjked up and saw the pistols pointing at them he was their prisoner, and needing assistance 

in the hands of Ca])t. I'.urrows and his son. lie i.n his vessel, he took the risk of unbinding 

infcirmed them he was determined to have his them, after iikMl^ing themselves tn >land by 

vessel or die: and they mu-t submit or be ;ind aid him. They were kept alternately at 

shdl. .\nia/eil. and realizing that resistance the helm initil the brig arrived sal'elv at t'al- 

mcant death for them, the two men sul.mitted l^a in the nmnth of I'-eliruary. ('a])t. l!ur- 

to be liiumd. .\fter securing tlu'ni, cme nn e;ich rows, bclie\ing tlu'y were sincere and reallv 

side of iJK' e;d)in, (apt. I'.urn.ws ;nid his son meant to lead a better life, sn])plied them with 

hurried 011 deck .and presented their pistols money and allowed them to go. 



HISTORIC GROTON 





Wmn 




HISTORIC GROTON 



.The soldiers' monument on East Main St. 
was presented to the village by Mrs. Charles 
H. ^lallor}'. At its dedication a number of 
Grand Army post veterans paraded, amid 
much enthusiasm displayed by the citizens. 
Governor Thomas M. Waller and statif offi- 
cers were present. The address was by U. S. 
Senator Joseph R. Hawley, Rev. Frederick 
Deiiison reading a poem. Capt. John K. 



whicli the commis.sioncrs appointed by the 
governor of the state had decided upon, placed 
on a boulder monument, was unveiled June 
26, 1889. Gov. Buckley and staff, with many 
visitors from abroad, were present. 

The battle on Pequot Hill was the first one 
of importance in New England. The sacri- 
fice of lives is sad to contemplate, but it re- 
.nilted in giving some security to the early set- 




lU SINESS KLOC 



lUicklyn, a war veteran and principal of M3's- 
tic \'alley Institute, presided at the unveiling. 

.\fter some discussion for a Pequot Hill 
monument, a committee was appointed l)y the 
New Eondon County Historical Society in 
1866, to bring the matter of an appropriation 
befnrc the legislature at its session of 1887. 
The members of tlie a>senil)ly from these and 
other towns favoring it. an api^ropriation was 
voted. Sufficient funds had been contributed 
to furnish the pedestal. The legislature of 1889 
vuted an appropriation for unveiling expenses, 
and the bronze statue of a Puritan warrior. 



lers. It appears to be easy and natural to criti- 
cise past events, yet it may not be so easy to 
fully comprehend the situation at the time 
they occurred. Connecticut was like a wil- 
derness roamed by wild beasts and a savage 
race. Few in numbers and scattered, the coN 
ony realized the time had come to take ac- 
tion for their own safety. Massachusetts 
gave some assistance and John Mason, a 
trained soldier, who had preferred life with 
the colony to being a major general, was 
chosen captain of the expedition. Bluff and 
courageous, he was a typical representative of 



90 



HISTORIC GROrON 



that era, being regarded as a hero through- ^L•rts itM.-lf. At the time uf the battle on Pe- 
out Xew England. ijuot Hill and for many years afterwards, civ- 
It was a perilous undertaking. The com- i'ization appeared as in a morbid condition, 
mander, and no doubt every man of them, had It was not only in Eunqican countries, l)ut 
the intelligence to comprehend w h;it would ako in Xew England, the air \\;is surcharged 
be their doom, with the |)rohable l;ite of the v\ith cries against "here^) " and "witchcraft," 
colony if they failed. The IVnpiots were fleet iuid punishment with a horrible death was 
of foot and were dreaded for their cruelty. often meted out. It seems a strange commen- 
Alason knew that his Indian allies, who cher- tary that progress of ci\'il and reliL;ioU'^ lib- 
ished a fear of them, might not be relied on. erty should have to come through war; Imt 
It was a critical moment when the Pequots. history reveals the fact of the tendency of Ini- 






- 


-•r*^ .«-w 


-^ 







the hr>t shock ol sur 



1 nature when cloilu-,1 with power to u- 
irbilranly an.] unjustly, winch has been 
•I cause of war. Reli.^ious devotees ha\ 

.■ti.m of this len.lencv whicli cause. 1 ll 
cle for reh-.ous freedom to be niibedd. 



I'.n-laml. "Ai 



HISTORIC GROTON 



sires;" for whatever their faults, their virtues 
were not excelled by those of any creed or any 
people of that epoch. Investigation and the 
diffusion of knowledge have helped to curb 
the spirit of fanaticism and intolerance wliich 
SI) widely prevailed. The lime should not be 
tar distant when education with religion — 
with the Hgln nf history as a guide, can af- 
ford some assurance of a continual ])eace on 
'i.\\z earth. 

It is nearly two thousand years since the 
words were spoken to His followers: "This 



is my commandment that ye love one an- 
other, even as I have loved you." In the hour 
of agony proving himself the exemplar of the 
sermon on the Moinit, forsaken even by His 
disciples. He jirayed for His persecutors: 
"P'ather, forgive them, ihey know not what 
they do!" When all the sects of C'hristend. mi 
exhibit that spirit towards each other, and a 
majority of the human race attain to that high 
plane of charity and love, it may reasonablv 
l)e expected that wars will cease. 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



Old Mystic 



By SIMEON GALLUP 



^^ 


MVR the luirtlieaslerl}- corner of 


^1 


ihe town of (jrotoii the Lantern 


^1§ 


Mill lirook flowing from the nortli 


^w 


jnins a stream from the w^est, and 


^m 


thence hnth cnntinuin.i; southerly 




this 


delii;] 


hi ml ri\cr a 


The 


early 


M-ttlers nl ( 


an,l 


were 


exnnscl In 



ferini^s frnni their relentless warfare. In 11)37 
the Massachusetts, Plymouth, and Connecti- 
cut cnlonies joined their forces in an ex])edi- 
tion to externiinatp them, and t'apt. .John 
.Mas.in with ei-hty men and three hundred 
friendly Indians was sent intn the l'e(|uol 
cuuntry for that purpose. 

'I'he precise situation of the Petjuot head- 
quarters was not known, but was believed to 
be in southeastern Connecticut. The forces 
assembled at Plartford and sailing down the 
Connecticut river, thence arcjund into Xarra- 
gansetl liay, they anchored on the west side 
in the harbor at W ickford, and disembarkint; 
set out on their march westward in pursuit of 
the enemy. Crossing Rhode Island they ar- 
rived in the evening of the _'5tli of May at the 
Mystic river, which they forded at its head 
\\ here Old Alystic is now situated. Here they 
learned that they were already in the vicinity 
of the savages whom they sought, and as the 
<iay was far spent they marched only a short 
ilistance further in a southerly direction, and 
look -heller for the night in a glen between 
I'lgh and precii)itous rock.s in the range of hills 
on the west, at a place known as Porter's 
Rocks. The tired and hungry troops remained 
llhi(jugli the night for rest and refreshment, 
intending the next morning at break of day 
lo attack the Pequot stronghold, whicli was 
only about one and a half miles further south, 
nd known as Peijuot Hill west of 
■i\er. The sentinels heard the 
the Peipiols in their fort as they 
lie war dance through the night, 
the next da}' to go out and find 
the luiglish, whose vessels the)' 
had seen pass, and they supposed the Kngli>h 
dared not attack them in the fort. 

.\t Iwo o'clock on the morning of May Jdtli. 

strongly I'ortitied Pecuiot village. The slorv 



"ul 


-il- 


. n the hiij 


1 


une 


the .Mysti 


of 

pe 


the 

oplc 


carousing 
engaged i 
exiiecling 


if 


I'.os- 


and .lestn 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



93 



I if the ilespcrate fight that followed, and the 
almost complete destruction of the Pequots 
there assembled, has been oft told in histories 
oi state and nation, and need not be here re- 
Ijcated. An important chapter in the early 
liistor\- of Groton was enacted, and a ijreat 
movement accomplished toward securint; safe- 
ty for the white race. The place of this des- 
perate struggle is of historic interest and im- 
portance, as well as that of the camp at Por- 
ter's Rocks, and each is well worthy of some 
fitting monument by the State. 

The hamlet formed by the first settlers was 
from its situation on the river familiarly called 
l\v its inhabitants and their neighbors. "Head 
of the River," a name given to many other 
villages similarly situated. The post ofifice 
was early called "Mystic" and was established 
on the east side of the river. 

The name remained the same until the year 
1S90. when by order of the post ofifice depart- 
iiient it was changed to "Old Mystic.'' 

A greater number of people, finding places 
more advantageous for business or for dwell- 
ings, also located on the east side of the river, 
thus establishing a correspondingly greater 
part of the business of the village in the town 
of Stonington. .\n extended (lescri])ti<in of 
many important industries, that ha\e contrib- 
uted largely to the prosperity of the whole vil- 
lage, is by this restriction to town boundaries 
placed without the limits of this article. Such 
is the case with the early ship-building indus- 
try at the Leeds shipyard, the making of cot- 
ton goods which fiourished at John Hyde's 
factories at an early date, and later the man- 
ufacture of woolen goods by Ainos B. Tay- 
lor, the banking business of the Mystic Na- 
tional bank, besides other lesser industries and 
mercantile interests. 

The opening of the New London and Prov- 
idence turnpike about the year 1820 brought 
to the growing village communication with the 
outside world, as direct and immediate as any 
large cities dei)endcnt upon land travel en- 
joyed at that time. It was a iiart of an im- 
portant avenue of travel from .\ew York to 
P>oston. maintaining daily trains of three or 
more four-horse stage coaches. The passing of 



these stages was an object of great interest 
to those living near the turnpike. The neces- 
sary stopping of these trains of coaches at the 
taverns or hostelries aUmg the route for relay 
of horses, and refreshment of travelers, 
brought a breeze from the outside world, and 
was an occasion of much bustle and commo- 
tion. .\11 the idlers of the village and many 
others, too, drew near to see the passengers, 
hear the news, and take their fill of the ex- 
citement of the day. The stage drivers, in the 
opinion of that company, were men of \-ast 
importance, and the one who could pick a fly 
fioni the ear of his leaders with his long whip 
or could round up his frisky team at the tav- 
ern with an extra flourish, was the greatest 
man of them all. There was such a turnpike 
tavern in Old Mystic fronting the triangular 
village green kept by Russel Williams. The 
house was built in 1754 and is still used as a 
dwelling. The separate part of the house, de- 




signed as a liarrooni. and the extra cupboards 
and closets in hidden ami out of the way 
places, signify to this day the kind of refresh- 
ment mostly provided for travelers. 

A prosperous tannery business was estab- 
lished not far from the turnpike tavern about 
the year 1841, and conducted for many years 
by John S. Schoonover who acquired a hand- 
.some competence in its pursuit. He employed 
several men and was noted for his careful at- 
tention to the details of business and for the 
superior quality of the leather he manufac- 



94 HISTORIC G ROTO A' 

tilled. Lly his liberality the \ilIa.L;e recei\e<l with a heavy load of factory spools or rollers 
a valuable tower clock which was placed in of coarse thread used in making ropes, and 
the steeple of the Baptist church. stopped for a few minutes at the hay scales. 
Xo \-illage could long exist witlumt its black- (Jne of the watching trio tjuietly cut the long 
smith. A shiip f(ir the pursuit i>f that calling rope used in binding the load, nearly severing 
slnod jusi at the entrance nf the tan-\'ard it, and when the load moved on, all followed 
abiiNc mentiducil, and many w Ul recall the at a short distance in the rear to see what 
ciirpulcnt fcrm and cheery cnuntenance nf the would happen. As the team went up Brim- 
occupant, Stephen H. Wheeler, as he dili- stone Hill at Crumb's corner, when near the 
gently engaged in work at his anvil. 'I'herc to]) and at the steepest place, the ]>inding rope 
was work, and there was also talk. It seemed parted, anil the whole load wa-- quickly dis- 
tn be the privilege if nut the ,luty nf the black- charged, n.llm- down to the f..ot of the hill. 

moment it came to town, and there was always after examination to liiid the cause, he soon 

a story to tell, while the roaring bellows and discovered what had been done to the roi)e. 

the ringing anvil furnished ;i vigorous accom- The three men almost immediately appeared, 

paninicnt. The farmer who came with horses ^"'1 when they profusely offered their services 

or oxen to be shod, or took to be rei)aired, '" 'i^lp rejilace the load, he was at once as- 

and his stores of information grealh increased, ^ water pri\ ile^c with a corn and grain 

while his real errand compellcl him to wait. "n" ^^^'^ established in 183.:; ..n the stream 

The s.iuikI of the blacksmith'-, ainil ha- ]iasM.Ml tl..wiii- from the west near its junction with 

with those who made it, ami even the shop ihc river, at which milling; is done the greater 

has been obliterated, and its place can be pointed I'^'i'l "f the year in a<ldition to a large trade 

nut only by those who remember. "u 

Hut the shoemaker's shop of ,,1.1 was the th 



f,ir 


a boot 


r sh. .e. ' 


<y \' 


.m-'P 


li ., ,,1.,.- 


■ the si 
.. ,1 


,oe, 


plac 
tun 


1 for 111- 
e of wo 
ipike ta 


■ re thai 
rk the f 
\ erii. 


His 



and feed. The mill | 


lon.l 


ak,. 


fun 


lisb 


ilc.^e from which a 


grea 


t pa 


rt 


■f t 


ill both .Mystics is t 


aken 


, aiK 


1 is 


of 


iiii|iortaiit industry. 


Ab 


out 


one 


mi 


• up this stream stain 


IstlK 


■ ohl 


I'.al 


IC( M 


ill. used as such a gi 


■iiera 


tion 


agi 1 


, th 


■ having been ^uperc, 


,'ded 


in la 


.ter 


yea 



r ciist..in work and for the wholesale tra.le. cro. 

-\boni the year 1 S30 the mannlaclnre ,.l ■N4( 

ipes w;is an impoilanl indiisfr\ in .\e\v :.s I 

n-laiid. llion|.;li now but litlle pursued. Two ])as- 

ipe walks were then in operation in ( »ld Mvs- hall 

.■; one eomlncled by Joseph A. l.anib wa^ pari 

In.-iled in the gro\e across the river from .U^ll 

e main street of the \illa,L;e: llie ollur man- idei 



■ that class were one da> lookiii- for ei.ible I. 
as Air. .Saunders came ii], the street, a sni.all 



HISTORIC GROTON 



95 



manufaclnrc cit clutli, but afler- 
r -riiulin.L; corn and .^rain and 
s. .\l)ci\(.- tlii'- was a mill sunie- 
linics called "iniK- Ruin" used as a cardiny 
mill in which wcinlen mils were carded for 
.spinning- and weaving by hand in the luimes 
throughout a wide section of territory. Half 
a mile north from Burnet's Corners was the 
ip and Inisiness of W'atrous and 
h employed sexeral men and con- 
structed machines of value and importance. 
The \\'elles homestead is situated on the 
turnpike about half a mile west of the village 
near which is a steam mill used for sawing 
various kinds of lumber. The Welles family 



milt for th 
sard used 
ither ]>uri)(. 



machi 
r.acon 



have from the earl 
large tracts of land 
includes the historic 



imes been owne 
ter's Rocks and 



The school advantages in Old Mystic are 
r.ow better than can be found in most towns 
outside the large cities. Formerly the north- 
eastern section of the town including the vil- 
lage was a part of the Burnet's Corners dis- 
trict. In 185 1 that section of Groton was incor- 
porated with the sixth school district of Ston- 
iiigton, having its school house already in the 
village of Old Mystic. By this change, all the 
village and the adjacent territory was joined 
in one district. The school has now three 
departments, but all the grades of the sched- 
ule of studies for the town of Stonington are 
represented. The high school is identical in 
rank and grade with the three other high 
schools in Stonington, all having the same 
schedule of studies, the same tests of schol- 
arship, and ])upils in all may graduate and re- 
cei\'e a diploma on completion of the course 



Oldest Baptist Church in the State 

The history of this church reaches back to 
a date one year earlier than the organization of 
the town of Groton. In 1704, a few scattered 
Baptists residing east of the Thames river in 
New London petitioned the general court for 
a settlement as a dissenting congregation, and 
sent a request to Mr. Valentine Wightman. 
then a young Bajitist minister of reputation in 
Rhode Island, to come and be their leader, lie 
came without delay, and in 1705 gathered and 
organized the First Baptist Church in Groton, 
which small company was also the first formed 
Baptist church in Connecticut, 

By the gift of W illiam Stark, who was after- 
wards the tirst deacn of the church, the young 
l)astor was ]. resented with a house and twenty 
acres of land, which for sex-eral generations be- 
came the home of the \\ ightmans. This ])ar- 
sonage was situated on Stark's Hill, as fornier- 
1> called, near which the New London and 
Providence turnpike was .ii)ene.l many years 
later. The house is still standing after the two 
hundre<lth anniversary of the church. The 
first meeling house of the BajJtists was built in 
171S. on land owned by Deacon Stark, about 
half a mile southeasterly from the parsonage, 



on the traveled path known as the Lost road, 
two miles west of the present house of wor- 
ship. It was a plain, square structure of small 
dimensions, without paint or embellishments 
of any kind and never had fireplace or stove 
for warmth or comfort. But it had a history 
and memories of gospel sermons and worship 
that greatly endeared it to the two or three 
generations by whom it was successi\"el_\' oc- 

Mr. \\"ii;htman was of a race and family of 
preachers and was the great-grantlson of Re\-. 
Fdward \\ightman of Burton-on-Trent, who 
was the last martyr by fire in England, having 
been burnt at the stake at Litchfield. Ajiril 11. 
1612. He was well aflapted to the work of 
I'ioncer in |)reaching the gospel, an<l sdwed 
the seeds from which I'.ajjtisl chnrclies L;rew 
to advocate liberty of conscience. In the days 
when men, women and children could be 
thrown into prison for holding a Bajjtist meet- 
ing, he, with his faithful band, maintained the 
\ital i)oinls of Christian liberty as well as Ba])- 
list faith. 

The I'oll.iwiiig st;itiUes were en;icted as late 
as 1723: 

Day to lU'glect llic worship of G.hI in scmic lawful 



96 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



congregation, and form thi-nisflves into separate com- 
panies in private houses ; being convicted thereof shall 
each of them for every such ofifense forfeit the sum 
of twenty shillings." 

"Whatsoever person not being a lawfully allowed 
minister of the gospel, shall presume to perform the 
holy sacraments by administering them to any per- 
son or persons whatsoever, and being thereof con- 
victed, shall incur the penalty of ten pounds for every 
such ofifense, and suffer corporal punishment by whip- 
ping not exceeding thirty lashes for each offense." 

Many instances could be cited of those who 
suffered fines and imprisonment. In the years 
that have followed we can partially realize 
the ijreat changes that liave taken place in the 
minds of men. Intolerance has given way to 
liberality of thought, and indeiiendcnce of ac- 
tion is everywhere permitted, l)Ut it should be 



mentioned as the first deacon, two others are 
known to have filled that office, Isaac Lamb 
and Joseph Culver. Mr. Wightman continued 
with the church until his death in 1747 closed 
1-is l(ing pastorate of forty-two years. A 
Wightman memorial, erected in 1890, marks 
his resting place in the Wightman llurial 
(Iround which adjdined tlie first two houses of 
\vorship. 

Rev. Daniel Fisk of l^lh.xlc Island was 
called to be his successor. Diu'ing his minis- 
try liegan the "great awakening" under the 
preaching of \\ hitefield and Da\-enport, which 
('eei)ly m(i\e<I all the churches, and in mau}- 




remembered that not ,-i trulli nr iinnciple 
taught by tlie early P.apti-~ls has been recanted, 
changed, or overthrown. 

Mr. Wightman was greatly fav.ired 1>y hav- 
ing as neighboring ministers of the Standing 
Order, Ephraim W^oodbridge and John Owen, 
whose liberality towards the P.apti.sts was in 
marked contrast to the spirit of the times. 
WiglUman and Owen ever labored si.le by 
side in accord and in mutual friendship until 
the death of the f,.rmer. 

.Mr. W ighlm.-in was in advance of his d,ay 
and of his own |)oo|)lr. lie iulroduced singing 
as a part of pulilic worship, and to mrct the 
strong oppo'^ition to iliis innovation he puh- 



his 



;sides Willi 



l)tist churciies there were also divisions into 
.■n and strict communion, and after various 
irts to reconcile these views, at length in 



, tiie ciiurcli 
I com mini ion 
■..m this time 
first pastor. 



was re 



rgai 



ing 



Jmi 

Wif 



anri 



7.=;4. IS upon 
lat time forv 
vhout the ve; 



Timothy ^\■ightman. son of 
Ijecamc the leader of the 

1756 was ordained pastor. 
■e associated twenty-eight 
eir co\-enant dating June 2S. 

church records which, from 
1, have been fully preserve-!. 
765, the First Baptist church 



l.elc 



(irotou, then the leading church of that faith 

the state, as well as the first born, returned 

its foriuer jiractice of strict connmmion, in 

insequence of which some of Ihe mendicrs 



HISTORIC GROTON 



97 



witlidrcw and formed the Second T.aptist 
church of (".rotoii, soniclimo called the I'orl 
Hill church. 

A hi>loriaii tells us that Tiniothy \\"ij;htnian 
was a "man of medium stature and erect form, 
affable manners, serious deportment and man- 
ly Ijearing, and was nigh a model man." As a 
preacher he was fearless and faithful. Mis 
ministry reached through two great upheavals 
in the history of our country; the "great 
awakening'" in church life, before referred to, 
and the revolution that inaugurated our na- 
tional independence. He taught his people to 
honor the right, and his church furnished its 
cpiota of patriotic blood in defence of liberty. 
( )n one occasion two members <if his flock 
w ho were soldiers, having been allowed to visit 
their homes and finding a meeting in progress, 
came at once to the meeting in all their sol- 
dierly outfit. On entering they received from 
the ])astor this scriptural greeting and wel- 
come: "And being let go the}' went to their 
own comj)any." 

Three deacons were ordained during his 
ministr}'. John W'ightman and Peter Avery in 
1757, and Thomas Xorthrop Xiles in 1778. 
Deacon Peter .\very was a man of decided 
jicrsonality anil a leader in church matters. He 
was loud and strong of speech, but of agree- 
able manner and reputed wealth. He gave the 
church one hundred pounds sterling and a sil- 
\er cup for communion service. He was dea- 
con for fifty years, until his death. 

.■\ glimpse of the old-time church singing is 
here given in the quaint language of the 
church record : 

"Oct ye 3, 1778. Dea Niles moved that somebody 
■should be chosen to set the Psahn, when the church 
made choice of Br Benadam Gallup, and in his ab- 
sense Br John Daboll to set the Psalm and likewise 
voted that they set as near the center of the meeting 
house as they conveniently can.'' 

".April ye 3, 1779. Br Gallup moved that the church 
should reconsider a vote of theirs in October appoint- 
ing him and Br Daboll to tune the Psalm, as he found 
Br Daboll's gift to be superior to his. Accordingly 
at Br Gallup's desire they appointed Br Daboll to be 
first in tuning the Psalm and Br Gallup to assist him." 

During Timothy ^^'ightman's ministry there 
were large additions to the church, which 
numbered two hundred and fifteen members at 
the close of his pastorate. In 1790, a second 



hmise of worship was built on the site of the 
former hotisc. Mr. Wightman's death occurred 
ill I7</) at the age iif sc\-enty-seven, in the 
forty-third year of his ])astorate. 

.\n interval of fcnir years followed during 
v.hich Rev. Reuben Palmer of Montville 
jreached as supply a part of the lime, and 
more than seventy were added to the church. 
.Among others, John (iano W'ighlniaii. son of 
the late pastor, a young man of more than or- 
dinary ability, who had received a classical 
education at Plainfield Academy, was con- 
verted and baptized in 1798 at the age of thir- 
ty-one. Soon afterwards he accepted the call 
of the church to become its pastor and w^as 
ordained Aug. 13, 1800. 

John Gano W'ightman was a logical and 
fluent speaker, well versed in scripture and a 
successful minister of Christ. During his pas- 
torate not less than ten seasons of revival were 
experienced, greatly strengthening the ciuirch 
and repairing the losses by death and removal 
to cities and villages and to the far w-est. 

.-\ branch church was formed in 1831 as the 
Third napti>t church of Groton, afterwards 
known as the Mariner's church, located west 
of the river at Mystic, then called Portersville. 

During his pastorate the following were or- 
(lained deacons: Benadam Gallup in 1800, 
Samuel Lamb and Sands Fish in 1810, Stanton 
P. Babcock in 1828, and Coddiiigton Colver 
and James C. Lamb in 1838. 

The church was blessed with faithful lay- 
men as well as officers. Joseph Colver, a lineal 
descendant of Gov. \\'inthrop of Connecticut, 
was a judicious and trusted helper, and a 
tower of strength to the church in his day, and 
in faithful attendance his record is without a 
parallel. He carefully kept a diary and accord- 
ing to its pages he was absent from Lord's day 
service only twice in forty years. Two of his 
grandsons have filled im])ortaiil |)ositioiis in 
the Baptist ministry. Rev. Paliiu-r ( i. Wi-lit- 
man whose name appears later as jiastor of 
this church, and Kev. Joseph C. Wiglitniaii an 
eminent scholar and divine. 

.Another valuable contributor to the spirit- 
ual life of the church was "Old Quash." as he 
was commonK- called. Ouash Williams was a 



HISTORIC GROT ON 



■WKi in uarly life and never learned t<i read, lives <if lliese men and their inlhienee u])(>n 

It he was nii.iLihty in the Seri|)tures and knew the ]K.i])le nl their day. To them, with tlieir 

em belter tiian many who teach them as nnfei,i;ned ln\ e ..f the Irutli, their piety, their 

eir -^acred calling, i le onld say with David, sturdy maintenance nf llaptist principles in 

l'li\ word have I hid in m_\ heart." Mis .i^ift face (if all opposition, and to their wise and 

exhortation was wonderful. llis appeals dilioeut leadershi)) is due the impressions 

)n ]>eculiar to his race cndiined with snch lieconie s|)ecial I'.aptist .ground. That such is 

Ldinn and sensilile application of ilivine truth, the fact, the live llonrishin,^- r,a[)tist churches 

id expressed in \ . .icr and manner so elTec- in the town of ( ir. .t. .n, and tive more in the ad- 

•e that his audience d inld r;irel\ refrain fr..m j,,inin- towns ,,f Stonin-ton and .Xorlh .^ton- 



II is c- 



.\ftcr the 
.Mr. W. \'. II 



witnesses. 

^ John (.ano \\i,-;lnma 

member of the Fort II 




.irdained in .\pril. 1842. 1 Jurini^- his short stay 
1.1 .ibont oiK' year the church seems to have 
been nnusntilly acti\e, and a chansje of the lo- 
cation of the meetiui; house was advocated. 

( )n the twenty-sec.ind of I'ebrnary, 184,^ a 
vote was ],asse(l t.. remove t- .Mystic, as Old 
Mystic was then called, wheiuwer a suitable 
house ,if worshiji should be erected at that 

vJiich had been mainlaiued f. .r a tiiue at 1-cd- 
\:ird was constituted an imleiien.lent church. 
\ls(. (.11 the sixteenth of March ;i (lele,-.;ation 
from this church assisted in a council at Gro- 
lon Heights in eslablishiuL; the present (iroton 
llei-hts church. In .\pril, 1S4J. Stephen 
I'eckhani, .\very ( iallnp and Daniel (.diipnian 
were ordained deacons. 



^■k^^P^^bhhk 


m 


m 


B 


.Mr. lledden was succe. 


■ded m 1S43 by Rev. 


rKKsKNTKArTisT.nri; 








Jmrch less than one yea 


remained with the 
r. In the meantime 


The first .Simda\- school conn 


ecled 


with 


the 


Ihe site for a new liouse 


of worsliip was se- 


church was or-ani/ed m iSj;. 


Th 


ou^h 


not 




the tox\ 11 of I Iroton. 


havin,L; means of conduclin.L; lli; 


It w. 


>rk in 


the 


where ihe i-resent house 


stands, and a new 


manner of the present day, il lu 




\ii-w 


111.' 


church was built, which 


was dedicated b"eb- 


fim.lamenl.al object of .^aiiiin- 


and 




y'w'A 


luary 22. 1S44. 




a knowled.^.' of Ihe llojv .Scn|,l 


nres. 


in w 


Inch 


The old house in (nolo 


u remained slaudiuL; 


il w;is emiuenllN snccessfnl. 








for ;i time .anil some wen 


.■ nuuillin.i; to .i^ixc il 


.Mr. W i.^hlman died in 1S41, 
Ihe church as ])aslor forlx one V( 


,'''r 


Will 


■ved 
1 his 


up as a place of worship 
fn'(pienlly held wilhin its 


, and lucetini^s xxere 
hall.. wed walls. Dike 


de.alli closed ;i reni:irkable serie: 


S of , 


Kistor 


■ates 


its ])redecessor it made ik 


1 outward pretension 


by l;ither, son, .and -rau.lsoii, . 


.-over 


ini; a 


pe 


toarchilectur.-d beanlv, bu 


I was a square, barn- 


rio,l of one hundred and twenty 


• six 


\ ears. 


It 


like structure wilhoui spi 


re or steeple or e\-eii 


is im|iossible lo justl)' rexiew 


llle 1 


iist,ir' 


C of 


a chimnex. The jdpe froi 


n its out' stoxe .after 


Ihis church wilhonl carefully c 


onsid 


eriiii^ 


the 


crossins.; the room horizo 


ntally found its way 



HISTORIC GROTON 



I Hit tlinmt;h a wiiulnw. wlicri' a ]5aiie nf ,L;las~ 
once liacl been. It had the si|iiarc faiiiil}' pews 
111' ihcise times, each erne eumpletelN- walled in 
l)y a hii;h hoard partition in which the older 
occtqjants sat where they could see the jireacli- 
er. Init the children were placed with jjacks to- 
ward the jiidpit. and their view was mostly 
confined to the inside walls of their prison, re- 
lieved on!}- 1)}- the stern countenances of their 
elders. \ i\id reccjllections now come of ser- 
\ ices in that house when the S(jund of the 
preaching seemed something wonderful: and 
when the hymn was sung by singers in the gal- 
lery, wholly out of sight from the children's 
place in the cavernous pew, after vainly trying 
to find where that sound came from, the ine\-- 
iiable conclusion was reached that it came 
from heaven. Sometimes during serxice a 
bright-eyed sipiirrel would come a little way 
out from his hiding place and all unmoved by 
Ins surroundings, listen for a short time to the 
jjrofound ])reaching, then with a scamper re- 
tire tt 1 his own haunts. 

The interior wijrk of the house was more 
highly finished, with hand wrought panels and 
mouldings, and the front of the lofty pulpit 
with much carved work, on all of which no 
paint was e\er used, but it remained in the 
natural color and finish of the wood. I'.ut the 
most striking feature cif that room was its huge 
pear-shapeil sounding board, hanging by a 
single rod of iron directly over the luinister as 
he stood up to preach. A childish fear amount- 
ing almost to torture was continuously jiresent 
that at some dreadful moment that mighty 
thing would drop and utterly extinguish the 
poor preacher. Whether the sounding board 
greatly increased the volume of the speaker's 
voice is a matter of doubt, but in this case it 
was sure evidence of the regard a loving peo- 
[>le had for a fatherly pastor, for in building 
that house in the later years of Timothy 
Wight man's pastorate, when his speech had 
lost some of the strength and vigor of youth, 
this device was added to increa.se the sound, 
that all might be able to hear his voice. \o 
thought etitcrcil their true hearts of exchang- 
ing his counsels for those of another, even 



iark> of time and weight of years 
11 in waning strength and voice. 
r thai those who had been wor- 
hat house were unwilling to give 
y had memories that stirred their 
lad an abiding affection for that 



though th. 
were app: 
Little woi 

it u]), for 
hearts, an 

house in its beautiful retired place by the fra- 
grant forest, and for the quiet church yard 
where their loved and lost were laid to their 
long rest. There often indeed 

"The souneliiiR aisles of the dim woods rang 
To the amhom of tlie free." 

Rev. Cyrus Miner was the first pastor to oc- 
cupy the new house, beginning his services in 
.\pril following the dedication. He remained 
I nly one year and was succeeded by William 
L. Walker, who was called by this church to 
his first pastorate in April, 1845. Though 
}oung, his loving disposition, genuine good 
will, and zeal for his Master soon won to him 
the hearts of his people. He was ordained in 
June at the session of the .Stonington Union 
Association, which was held with the church 
that year. 

During his pastorate of h\e years, the first 
additions were made to the church on its new 
ground. The Sunday school received special 
attention from him, and from that time was 
made more attractive and important as a part 
of church work. Ill-health, which prexented 
continued effort in public speaking, led to liis 
resignation. Tlic minister's support in those 
days does not now seem to have been a gilded 
attraction, as the records show the amount to 
have been Ijut three hundred dollars per an- 
num, and even this sum was with diiificultj- 
raised and not always ])romptly paid. 

Rev. James Scjuier was the next pastor for 
about one year. During his stay an increase 
of interest was manifest and extra meetings 
were held, .\mong others who assisted in the 
services was Rev. l^rasttis Miner whose 
Ijreaching greatly inlt-restcd many, and wlio 
was eventuallv called to be the next ])astor. 
The church gained in numbers during the ear- 
lier part of his ministry, but later there was 
dissatisfaction and it grew so great that the 
church was divided and separate meetings 



HISTORIC GKOTON 



wci-e hchl. riiis >taU- ..f thin.ns c.iiUinucd Im" extra work of tliat winter Mr. Wit;htman was 
a time after Mr. Miner had se\ered his cm- greatly assisted by I'dder Jai.ez Swan ..f evan- 
neetion with the ehnrch. -eUstic renown, the twi. wnrkin- in jierfect 

Rev. |nhn !•:. W nn.l was next caHed and aeeord with each ..ther and with the ehnrch. 
came UA^^^ ihities with a i^hm for layin- aside Th'-ni;!! im ,,ther revival of like power was 
all ditferoue- and rennitin- the church on ex])erienced, many more were afterward add- 
common -round, which under his discreet ed tu the church, Durint; the twelve years of 
leadershi|)"as i)astor was hai>pily elTected. His his pastorate two hundred and twenty-four 
active career and eliorts awakened renewed ix-w members were received, and the mem- 
interest in all church w.irk. The Sunday hership nf the church reached the hi-hest 
school was reinvi-orated an.l hy his plannin-. l"'i"l '" it^ history, liavint;- lieen two hundre.l 
the Sunilav Sclio,,l (■..nvention to the Stoning- ^in'l ninety-six in 1875. 

With increased membership and lar,L;er cn- 
gre.uati.Dis the hcmse .if worship was fcnind P.o 
small fnr the needs nf the church, and it was 
at len-th .lecided t.. build a new house, which 
A as erected nn the site of the old one and ded- 
icated in October. 1S07. The Sunday school 

i:f .\mos I'l. Ta\lor and continued to be for 

any time since its fonnation, numbering over 
tu-.> hundred scliolars, I'.y the be.piest of Zer- 
xiah W ightman, daughter of Rev. John Cauo 
W ightman. the church came into possession (d' 
Its present parsonage and a considerable sum 
if money as a fund for the support of gospel 
ton liiion Association was established, and preaching. In iSh-. Thomas II. \"incent was 
the tirst meeting was held with this ehnrch in .■ijipointed deacon, and in 1S7J, .Mian Steven- 
1S5X. lie resigned in Xovember. iSdo, and --on. Xehemiah .M. I iallup and llenjamin B. 
was followed by Ue\ . I'.dgar .\. Hewitt, who Hewitt were also appointed to that otfice. Mr. 
continued with the church three \ ears. I',\- a W ightman resigned his pastorate in x'^-G. hav- 
lieipiesi of .Mrs. Sally ( iallup the church re- mg been greatly instrumental in building up 
ccive.l a fund of .about fourteen hiunlred <lol- the church in numbers, inlluence and ef=ficieu- 




1!.\I'TIST rAUSOXAGE. 



Soon alter the resignation of .Mr. Hewitt, 
K'ev. I'almer ( i. W ightman, grandson of Rev, 
John Cam. W i-hlinau, acceplc'd a call to the 
liastorale and commenced Ins Labors upon the 
held of his f.athers in jun.-, 18(14. He w;is well 



u which .Mr. W ightman 1 



It was made 



liar\es| ot .accessions to the -"U who w.as onlained hy llie church, and re- 

ig the winter of 1,^(15 ,aml iSr,r,, mained ,1 little more than a \ e;ir. During his 

coiiiiiiued iie.irl\ e\er\ e\ en- pastoral term a number were received into 

than three months, .and within the church. Rev. Homer .\. King became jias- 

ty-eight were baptised. In the i-r m July, 1SS3, remaiidng also a little more 



HISTORIC GROTON 



than a year, and was in turn frillnwecl. Jan- 
uary, 1885, by Rev. A. J. Wilcnx wlm remained 
I'ul}" a few months. 

In .September of the latter year Rev. A. J. 
Lliandler wa- ealled to the pastorate. With 
liini an important revival season was experi- 
enced, in which additions were made to the 
church, and it was greatly quickened in spirit- 
ual thought and life. In 1894 some changes 
were made in the interior of the house of wor- 
ship, rendering the whole much better adapted 
to all the needs of church work. Three dea- 
cons were chosen in 1887, Simeon Gallup, \\'il- 
liam H. Lamphere, and Amos D. Turner. Mr. 
Chandler resigned in 1895, closing ten years of 
pastoral labor, and was succeeded in Xovem- 
lier (if that year by Rev. Dryden \\'. Phelps, 
who cdiitinued pastor about three and one-half 
years, 

.V legacy of one thousand dollars, the gift 
of Mrs. Julia A. Laiigworthy, was received by 
the church in 1899. In December of that year 
Rev. Henry W. ^^'ilson accepted a call to the 
church, and began a pastorate full of encour- 
agement and promise, which, howex'er, was 
brought to a sudden close by his untimely 
death June 5th. 1902. About forty were re- 
ceived into the church during his labors. 

Mr. Wilson was followed by Rev. Herbert 
B. Hutchins. wIki began his pastoral work in 
November of the same year. 

In June. 1904. the Stonington I'nion .Asso- 
ciation held its one hundred and thirty-second 
anniversary with the church. .\t that session 
the association presented the church a bronze 
memorial tablet "commemorating the found- 



ing of this, the first liajitisl church of Connec- 
ticut in 1705, and the maintenance by it of 
the standard of Religious Liberty, and the self- 
sacrificing devotion of N'alentine Wightman. 
its founder, Tinioth\- Wightman, his son, and 
John (iano Wightman. his grandson, succes- 
sively its ministers for one hundred and twenty- 
six years." 

The year 1905 closed the second century of 
the existence of the church. In August of that 
}'ear exercises were held commemorating that 
event, beginning on Sunday, August 6th, and 
continuing until .\ug. 9th. .At the public ser- 
\ ices held each day. addresses were delivered 
by prominent speakers from abroad in con- 
nection with other appropriate exercises. .Af- 
ter the address on Wednesday. -Vug. 9th. the 
bi-centennial exercises were concluded with a 
liancptet and social reunion. 

.\t the close of the second century of church 
life the number of members is two hundred 
and two. Since 1754, the earliest date from 
\N hich a continuous record of membership can 
now 1)6 traced, to the present time, twelve hun- 
dred and eighty-seven members have been en- 
loUed. Twenty-eight ministers of the gospel 
have gone out from this membership to their 
work in all parts of the land. If imbued with 
the spirit of the Divine Master, and the cour- 
age and devotion of some of the early fathers 
whose career has been here reviewed, another 
century may show a powerful influence for 
good from their labors also. 

Mr. Hutchins closed his pastorate in March, 
1907. and w-as succeeded by Rev. J. M. Ohn- 
stead, in November of the same vear. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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M^ttiiiiiiiiii 



